By Aggrey Baba
Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, former Minister for Information and a senior NRM mobiliser, has come out to praise First Lady Janet Museveni for being a quiet but firm support behind President Yoweri Museveni’s long spell of leadership.
In a message reflecting on Museveni’s decision to seek re-election, Karooro described Janet as a calm, prayerful and wise woman whose presence continues to play a big role in Uganda’s peace.
“She is not the kind of person who rushes or speaks out of excitement. Her silence is not a weakness. It is strength, guided by God and filled with wisdom,” karooro said.
To bring her point home, Karooro used an old Runyankore story about a young girl named Nyabwangu. The story describes Nyabwangu as someone who was always in a hurry and never listened to advice. One day, she grabbed and broke an old woman’s hoe, just to prove a point, and in the end, everyone blamed her for being careless and disrespectful.
Karooro said that Janet is the complete opposite of Nyabwangu, adding that she has never broken any hoe. Instead, she has helped protect them. By this, she meant that the First Lady has always chosen peace and patience over conflict and pride.
Karooro described Janet as a true Proverbs 31 woman (virtuous, composed, and God-fearing), adding that the heart of her husband safely trusts her, and she opens her mouth with wisdom.
Karooro explained that over the years, while Museveni has faced many challenges (from war to political pressure) the steady support of his wife has helped him stay focused and calm. “Such women are rare. Many would have reacted to pressure or broken under stress, but Mama Janet has remained steady,” she said.
The former minister also noted that the First Couple’s attendance at prayers at Miracle Centre Cathedral on the same day the President picked his forms was not just for show. They were prayed for by Pastor Robert Kayanja, his wife Jessica, and world-known preacher Benny Hinn, who reportedly declared that Uganda is a blessed country because it has a God-fearing leadership.
Karooro said this should not be taken lightly, because a blessing at such a time is not a small matter. It speaks to the kind of foundation on which this leadership stands.
She also explained that many people wrongly assume that because Museveni has been in power for a long time, his support must be going down. But she said the opposite is happening.
Karooro remembered times when the president would personally reply to newspaper articles that attacked him (not with anger, but with clear facts), adding that Museveni does not fear criticism but instead, he invites his critics to talk, an act which is rare.
She therefore, called on Ugandans to look beyond the usual campaign noise and recognize the quiet roles that shape leadership, saying that sometimes, it is not the loud ones who hold the house together, but those who stay in the background, keeping everything from falling apart.
In Mama Janet Kataha Museveni, Karooro believes Uganda has been blessed with such a person who is quiet, steady, and unshaken even in storms. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
