MUSEVENI explains love story with Janet: God has protected us with children, we thank him for life

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has applauded the First Lady, Janet Kataaha Museveni for exhibiting resilience and courage in raising their children despite his permanent absenteeism during the liberation struggle period. The President, also the groom of the day, made the remarks yesterday during a luncheon at Irenga farm in Ntungamo district in commemoration of their golden jubilee anniversary. The colorful occasion was attended by family members and friends. “You heard what the children were saying that Maama was tough with them and was able to bring them up for a number of years without my presence and I really salute her for that. So, her contribution to bringing up those children has no comparison because she did it when I was not there and the children did not even know that I would come back to their lives,” he said. The President added: “Maama Janet was not only a mother but a mother of children with a permanently absentee husband. Therefore, when Maama Janet helped me to create a family, I was very grateful for her contribution.” He further explained that before coming to power in 1986, he was living on account of opposing the bad regimes which were here and one would not imagine that he would be able to have a family and children but in spite of the instability, by God's will, he was able to have both. “One would imagine that we would not be able to have families and children. I separated from my people when Diana was eight months old. I never saw her again until six years later when I found her in Sweden. There was a lot of instability but within that, God was doing what we were not able to do by ourselves,” the President noted. FAMILY IS LIFE The First Lady, Maama Janet said she was so grateful to God for enabling them to celebrate their 50th anniversary of marriage. She disclosed that due to the instability in Uganda in the 1970s, they were forced to have a wedding from Turnham Green Church in England, a function that was attended by a few family members and close friends on the 24th of August, 1973. “Our family was one of those families that were very vulnerable because of the political role that my husband played. You could say that his political role placed us as a family in the front row for any danger, hence our lives as a family were always at risk during those difficult and challenging times in our country’s history,” Maama Janet said. Mrs. Museveni therefore reasoned that it is right and befitting that they thank God because He truly has been gracious to them as a family and has also increased them in numbers by giving them four children and 15 grandchildren. DOWN MEMORY LANE The First Lady expressed her gratitude towards her husband for agreeing to celebrate that important day in Ntungamo district (Kyamate and Irenga) and not either in Rwakitura or Kampala. “This is because this was where my husband and myself originate from, my husband’s family originated from here and went to Kiruhura district when he was a young man but I think his love for Ntungamo has remained with him throughout his life,” she said. “As for Kyamate, that is where we both first met on the road while going to school. It is not true that we went to the same school because my husband was in a boys’ school, and I was in a girls’ school, but both emerged into one school somewhere along the road. So when I finished from the girls school which had only three classrooms, I had to go to the boys school but fortunately, my husband was no longer there so we cannot claim that we met at school,” she noted. The First Son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba thanked God for being so faithful to their parents and enabling them to celebrate their golden jubilee. “He has not only protected them and used them to serve this great land of Uganda but also through them, they brought to the world a great number of people since the population of Uganda has greatly increased when Mzee and Maama are in charge of this country,” Gen. Muhoozi said. The First Daughter, Pastor Patience Rwabwogo in the company of her husband Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo said when their parents got married 50 years ago, their lives were under threat because their father was involved in the struggle for the fight for freedom in Uganda. Pastor Patience also said their parents are committed to family and they have been able to give them love and quality time in abundance. “We had a lot of love, but we also had strong boundaries. We have grown and our relationship with our parents has grown into a stronger bond because Mzee and Maama are the first one we always call to share good news, prayers, and share counsel.” The event was also attended by the First Family members, government officials such as the Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo, Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, international guests, religious leaders, among others.