First Lady Janet Museveni honoured with 2025 International Women Icon Award
The award ceremony, held at State House, Entebbe, saw President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni lead the congratulations, affirming that his wife "deserved it." He further lauded Binary University for its "sharpness of perception" in identifying Maama Janet's significant impact from afar.
First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, was yesterday honoured with the prestigious International Women Icon Award 2025 by Binary University Malaysia, in recognition of her profound contributions to education, women empowerment, and community development.
The award ceremony, held at State House, Entebbe, saw President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni lead the congratulations, affirming that his wife “deserved it.” He further lauded Binary University for its “sharpness of perception” in identifying Maama Janet’s significant impact from afar.
President Museveni highlighted his wife’s central role in his life, noting her unwavering support, particularly during the bush war when she single-handedly raised their children, guiding and protecting them.
“Beyond that, she is a very gifted home builder… She’s so detailed and sees what I can’t see,” he remarked, also praising her as a philanthropist who co-founded the Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO), an initiative that filled critical gaps where the government lacked immediate resources.
He further applauded her for engaging in value-driven politics, describing her as someone who “doesn’t like the politics of pleasing” and gets things done immediately, which he said proved effective in Ruhaama constituency. The President also humorously shared how his wife’s consistent prayers have encouraged him to adopt a daily prayer routine.
The award was presented by Dr. Rohini Devi, Deputy Vice Chancellor and founding Director for the Centre of Women Leadership at Binary University. Dr. Devi underscored the First Lady’s exceptional dedication to girls’ education, child welfare, and her commitment to championing value-based leadership, integrity, and service to the nation.
“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 devoted her life to uplifting the marginalised and transforming lives across the nation,” Dr. Rohini stated.
She also commended Maama Janet’s lifelong devotion to serving humanity, recalling her personal sacrifice in caring for her family during Uganda’s liberation struggle and her role in establishing transformative forums like UWESO and the Youth Forum.
In her acceptance speech, the First Lady expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, humbly attributing her achievements to divine guidance. “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 reaffirmed her commitment to advancing initiatives that uplift families and strengthen Uganda’s social fabric, highlighting her support for rural women in improving livelihoods and her significant contributions to the socio-economic transformation of the Karamoja region as its first Minister.
Maama Janet concluded by inspiring the younger generation, urging them “to lay their own brick on this building called Uganda,” emphasizing hard work, patriotism, and being inspired by good acts of leaders. She also thanked President Museveni for his steadfast support of her programmes aimed at empowering women and improving education outcomes nationwide.
Binary University Malaysia focuses on entrepreneurship and investment promotion, aiming to produce graduates who are not only academically smart but also industry-ready. The university’s recognition of Mrs. Museveni highlights her global influence and exemplary leadership.
