FIRST LADY JANET MUSEVENI RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN ICON AWARD

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet
Kataaha Museveni, has been honoured with the prestigious International
Women Icon Award 2025 from Binary University Malaysia.

Speaking at the ceremony held yesterday at State House, Entebbe,
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni congratulated the First Lady on the
milestone, noting that she deserved it.

“I therefore congratulate Maama on this award, she deserves it. I also
salute Binary University for having that sharpness of perception and for
identifying the big contribution of Maama from far away,” he added.

President Museveni also recognised Maama’s contributions saying that
she has played a central role in his life, noting that her support has
helped him establish an enduring legacy.

He recalled that during his time in the bushwar, Maama Janet
shouldered the full responsibility of raising their children, guiding and
protecting them as a sole parent.

“She took all the burden and all the pressure, and she did it very well,
helped by God. I salute her for helping me to become eternal also
looking after those children when I was away,” he added.

President Museveni further praised Maama Janet that she is highly
gifted in nurturing and running a home.

“Beyond that, she is a very gifted home builder, she knows how to do
things to build houses. She’s so detailed and sees what I can’t see. I do
farming but she is very good with homestead, and I salute her for that,”
he remarked.

President Museveni also described Maama Janet as a philanthropist
whose compassion and humanitarian work continues to touch different
lives.

“She is a philanthropist. The state should have been the one to take care
of the people but it might not have the resources in time so that’s how
they came up with UWESO, but they did a wonderful job which the
government was unable to do. She started a movement with her
colleagues.”

He further applauded her for engaging in value driven politics rather than
chasing cheap popularity.

“When she went for politics which I didn’t support initially, she did it like a
dictator. She doesn’t like the politics of pleasing, when she wants
something done, she does it immediately and this is what has helped
with politics in Ruhaama. That’s another angle I have seen in her.”
He also commended the First Lady for being a prayer warrior, adding
that this has encouraged him to start praying.

“I don’t disturb God so much, I pray once in a while, but Maama prays all
the time. Now I also pray every day under her command. We pray every
night and of course prayers work,” he said.

He added that these prayers have played a very significant role in
uplifting sports in the country.

“Because of those prayers, the sector of sports in Uganda is now a big
name internationally. For sports we had not done a lot, we had a few
stadiums but, in her time, we have come up and we are shining, this is
partly because of Maama’s prayers together with her team,” President
Museveni remarked.

President Museveni praised the First Lady for being resilient and
accepting to go to Karamoja as a Minister, adding that she changed a lot
of lives during her tenure.

“Before we met, she wasn’t political. She was doing her own things but
when God put us together, in time she picked up and got interested and
when she went to Karamoja, there were some other people who didn’t
want to go but for her she was very eager to go.”

The award was presented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and founding
Director for the Centre of Women Leadership, Dr. Rohini Devi.
This was in recognition of the First Lady’s exceptional contribution to
girls’ education, women empowerment, child welfare, and community
development over the years.

It also celebrates her dedication to championing value-based leadership,
integrity, and service to the nation.

Dr. Rohini applauded Maama Janet for her unwavering commitment to
ensuring that every Ugandan child has access to quality education and a
supportive learning environment, noting that her leadership continues to
inspire women across Africa.

“As a founder of the Centre for women leadership at Binary University,
it’s my distinguished honor to present this award to a very wonderful

woman who has lifelessly devoted to uplifting the marginalised and
transforming lives across the nation,” the Deputy Vice Chancellor said.
Dr. Rohini also commended the First Lady for a lifetime devotion to
serving humanity and uplifting communities across the country.

Dr. Rohini further noted that the First Lady’s life not only reflects public
service but personal sacrifice recalling how she cared for her family
single handedly when the President fought for Uganda’s liberation.

“When her family separated because of war, she had to hustle together
with dignity, strength and unwavering faith as Museveni served the
cause of Uganda’s liberation.”

Dr. Rohini further acknowledged Maama Janet’s longstanding
commitment to social welfare, citing her founding forums like Uganda
Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) which transformed the lives
of many orphans, those affected by wars and the HIV/AIDs patients,
forming the Youth forum to mentor and empower young people.

“She is also the founder and patron of the Youth forum which has helped
to nurture the values and characters of the youth.”

Receiving the award, the First Lady expressed gratitude for the
recognition and reaffirmed her commitment to advancing initiatives that
uplift families and strengthen Uganda’s social fabric.

“It is so humbling to welcome you this evening to our national house in
Entebbe, as I receive this noble award the International Woman ICON
leader Award,2025,” she said.

“I thank all the leadership of Binary University Malaysia led by its founder
Professor Joseph Adaikalam, for allowing God to use you to recognise

my humble contribution to my homeland because there is no other way
you would have heard me. Thank you for coming all the way from
Malaysia to confer this noble award upon me. This award is simply a
testament to the goodness of the Lord in my life as He alone enabled
and empowered me to serve Him,” she said.
She went on to thank God for always guiding her throughout her life.
“In my life when our family was in exile, God would surprise me from
time to time. He would always reveal to me that He is God and He
cares,” she revealed.
“An example is when He got me and my very young children out of
Uganda and later out of Kenya. God would place somebody at the place
of our departure to ensure that we are safe.”

Maama Janet also recalled that soon after President Museveni took
overpower, an enemy in the form of HIV/ AIDS emerged and it was
during that time that she founded UWESO to support orphans and
children affected by HIV.

“Then, hardly the ray of hope started to shine on our nation following the
new leadership of the state by my husband in 1986,then an enemy
emerged amongst our people in the form of HIV/AIDS,” she said.
Maama Janet then reflected that the epidemic served as a wakeup call,
bringing back the memories she went through as a refugee and this
inspired her to start an organisation to support and save the orphans,
war affected people and those who had acquired HIV.
“It was God waking me to that memory that helped me start an
organization that would care for orphans. We called that organization

UWESO and this organization is proud to have rescued, rehabilitated
and provided holistic care to orphans,” she remarked.
In addition, Maama Janet also highlighted her support to rural women by
helping them improve their livelihoods, develop new skills and access
opportunities.
She also expressed humility over her own contributions especially to the
people of Karamoja.
“Now of course l am in government, I was the first Minister of Karamoja
region, a region where people suffered so much insecurity due to cattle
rustling, l am very glad to have contributed to the socio-economic
transformation of the people in that region by the Grace of God,” she
said.
Maama Janet also called upon the young generation to always be
inspired by good acts of leaders, be hardworking and patriotic.
“My prayer now is that this prestigious award will inspire our young
population to lay their own brick on this building called Uganda. May we
all be inspired to do our part,” she said.
Maama Janet concluded by thanking President Museveni for his support
to the programmes aimed at empowering women and improving
education outcomes nationwide.
Hon. JC Muyingo, the Minister of State for Higher Education gave a
speech on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
He congratulated the First Lady upon receiving the international woman
Icon Award, 2025.

“Maama, this esteemed honour from the Binary University of
Management and Entrepreneurship stands as a profound testament to
your steadfast leadership, your God given wisdom and the
transformative reforms you continue to champion within our Ministry”, he
said.
He commended Maama Janet for her visionary leadership, noting that it
has helped in widening of new opportunities.
“Through your vision, we have witnessed the strengthening of
institutions, the advancement of quality education and the widening of
opportunities for learners across our nation. Your commitment has
yielded real and measurable progress, inspiring us to serve with
renewed purpose and dedication,” he remarked.
Professor Joseph Adaikalam, the founder and Chancellor Binary
University, Malaysia said he was deeply honoured to gather, recognise
and celebrate the Maama Janet.
“I am deeply honoured to celebrate an exceptional woman whose
compassion and commitment to humility continue to inspire the world,”
he said.
“This award is the highest and most prestigious and only one person
receives this award per year in the World,” he said, stating that the most
distinguished is Maama Janet this year.
He further acknowledged President Museveni’s sincere commitment to
transforming Uganda, noting that he has shaped Uganda through
productivity, industrialization and the middle-income status which has
yielded economic confidence.

Binary University Malaysia focuses mainly on entrepreneurship,
promoting investment and has nurtured hundreds of young
entrepreneurs and it mainly focuses on producing graduates who are not
only academically smart but industry ready.
The event was also attended by a team from Binary University,
government officials, among others.