Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni survived a serious health scare earlier this year and that she is recovering steadily from the “Sitaane” attack on her.
In a heartfelt message shared to mark Janet Museveni’s 78th birthday, the President reflected on their family journey, their reunion during exile in 1972, and the First Lady’s contribution to Uganda’s liberation struggle, philanthropy, and public service.
However, one of the most striking revelations in the message was Museveni’s disclosure that Janet faced a life-threatening medical challenge in March this year.
“Sitaane, three months ago, on the 21st of March, 2026, launched an attack on the life of Maama. However, Sitaane miscalculated,” Museveni wrote.
Without disclosing the exact nature of the illness or medical condition, the President credited divine intervention and medical professionals for saving her life. “God, using good doctors, saved Maama’s life and she is now recovering well,” he added.
The revelation marks the President’s first public indication that the First Lady, who also serves as Uganda’s Minister of Education and Sports, faced a significant health challenge in recent months.
Mr Museveni linked the date of the health scare, March 21, to a significant moment in Uganda’s liberation history, recalling the defeat of an Idi Amin counter-attack at Rugaando near Mbarara in 1979.
The President described Janet’s survival as another victory and expressed gratitude for her continued recovery.
Beyond the health revelation, Museveni used the occasion to celebrate the First Lady’s resilience and service to both family and country.
He thanked God for preserving her through childhood adversity after losing her father, Mzee Edward Kataaha, in 1955, and reflected on what he described as a “miraculous re-connection” between them on Christmas Day in 1972 outside Nairobi’s Inter-Continental Hotel.
At the time, Museveni was living in exile and organizing resistance efforts against Idi Amin’s government.
The President said the chance encounter eventually led to the formation of their family despite the uncertainties of political struggle and exile.
“It is that accidental and miraculous re-connection that enabled me to have a family even when I was still in the risky life of exile and the Resistance. Praised be the Lord,” he noted.
Museveni credited Janet with raising their children during the difficult years of the National Resistance Army (NRA) bush war between 1981 and 1986, when he was fighting in the countryside while she remained in exile.
He also praised her work through the Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO), her religious ministry and her contribution to National Resistance Movement (NRM) politics.
“Maama has done great things in the family, especially caring for the children during the second phase of the Resistance between 1981 and 1986 when she was alone in exile and I was in the bush.”
The President concluded his tribute by praying for longevity, expressing hope that both he and the First Lady would live to celebrate their 100th birthdays and witness the realization of the East African Federation.
Below is Museveni’s Full Birthday Tribute to Maama Janet
From Omugurusi Ampa to Maama Giinga.
Today, the 24th of June is Maama’s birthday having arrived on Earth on this very day 78 years ago. The family and myself thank God for having given us Maama, kept her safe in the years of orphanhood having lost her Father, Mzee Edward Kataaha, in 1955 and prospering her in the subsequent years up to today.
In Particular, I thank God for the miraculous re-connection with her on Christmas day, 1972, outside the Inter-Continental Hotel in Nairobi. Although we were from the same area of Ntungamo and had studied at Kyamate together in 1958, we had got disconnected by the troubled history of Uganda.
Since January, 1971, we had been operating from Tanzania fighting Idi Amin. I had, indeed, been involved in the disastrous battle of the 17th of September, 1972 in Mbarara where out of 330 People that attacked on that axis, on account of not being trained, by evening I had managed to take back only 46 including an Obote fighter known as Ageta, a good but chaotic fighter.
I was now on the way to launch another effort of fighting Amin using the 100 rifles we had already infiltrated into Uganda and the hand grenades which Rwaheru and group used very effectively at Lubiri Quarter-Guard, Kyambogo house of mathematics teacher Karuhanga (Omuharabu) and saved me in Mbale, Maluku, House no. 49.
This is where God’s miracle came in. We had just parked in the Inter-Continental car-park, when I saw the Kazzoras, including Maama, entering their cars after they had had lunch at the hotel. I got out of our car and greeted them. Mr. Kazzora and his wife did not know me but Maama Janet and Maama Jennifer Kutesa, knew me from the Ntungamo- Kyamate days.
Without going into details, it is that accidental and miraculous re-connection that enabled me to have a family even when I was still in the risky life of exile and, the Resistance. Praised be the Lord.
It is that miraculous re-connection, that gave me a family of 4 great children and fifteen grandchildren and I am now threatening to have great grandchildren (Abaijukuriza).
Sitaane, 3 months ago, on the 21st of March, 2026, launched an attack on the life of Maama. However, sitaane miscalculated. The 21st of March is a good day for the Resistance. That is when we defeated the counter-attack of Idi Amin at Rugaando (12 miles from Mbarara) in 1979. God, using good doctors, saved Maama’s life and she is now recovering well.
Maama has done great things in the family, especially caring for the children during the 2nd phase of the Resistance between 1981 to 1986 when she was alone in exile and I was in the bush. She has been a great philanthropist with UWESO and she has contributed to the NRM politics in Ntungamo on top of her religious work.
I pray to God to get us to 100 years respectively so that we, among the other good things, see the birth of the East African Federation which is the Insurance of Africa against any future domination or marginalization.
Signed:
Yoweri K. Museveni
Omugurusi- Ampa.
Janet Museveni, born on June 24, 1948, has served as Uganda’s First Lady since 1986 and remains one of the country’s most influential public figures through her roles in government, faith-based initiatives, and social development programmes.
Despite her disappearance from the public eye for months, she was retained in the 2026-31 cabinet as Minister for Education and Sports, a position she is holding for the third term running. Before the current role, she served as the first Minister for Karamoja Affairs when the ministry was created back then in 2011.
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