First Lady tips student leaders on leadership as new UNSA executive takes oath

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The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, has urged student leaders across the country to embrace servant leadership founded on integrity, humility, and patriotism.

She described leadership as a divine calling that demands sacrifice and selfless service marked with humility and resilience.

Mrs Museveni was speaking at the swearing-in of the 36th Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) 15-member National Executive Committee led by Sheila Ainembabazi, and the handing over by the outgoing 35th National Executive Committee led by Wilson Mugazhu.

The ceremony, held at State House Nakasero on Thursday, 29th January, was themed "Renewed Student Leadership for Peace, Integrity, and Values". 

Dignitaries at the events included: State Ministers Hon. Peter Ogwang and Hon. Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Members of Parliament, Vice Chancellors—Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe of Makerere University and Dr Ronald Mbago of Seeta University—Col. Edith Nakalema from the State House Investors Protection Unit, senior officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports, the UNSA Board of Trustees, youth leaders, student representatives, and Pastor Wilson Bugembe.

The First Lady, who congratulated the newly elected UNSA leadership and commended the outgoing executive for their service, also reminded them that leadership is not simply ambition, but a call from God to shepherd His people.

Drawing lessons from biblical leaders, including Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, and Esther, Mrs Museveni explained that God prepares leaders through a process, often marked with difficulty, to remove pride, greed, selfish ambition, and other pitfalls and to shape their character and capacity to bear responsibility.

Mrs Museveni, according to a release from her office, emphasised that UNSA remains a key platform for nurturing responsible leadership, observing that many former student leaders have gone on to serve as ministers, Members of Parliament, and leaders in other spheres of influence.

“Our President started out as a student leader and was taken through a very difficult process—five years in the bush—before God entrusted him with leadership of our homeland,” she said, noting that Uganda recently marked 40 years of President Museveni’s leadership, achieved through sacrifice rather than privilege.

She cautioned the new UNSA leadership against selfish ambition, greed, immorality, pride, and disloyalty, urging them to remain focused on service and integrity. She also appealed for unity, warning that sectarian politics based on tribe or religion weakens the nation. “One country, one people under God—that is how we achieve our divine purpose,” she said.

She urged young leaders to honour authority, work as a team, and steward their leadership season faithfully and responsibly to contribute to national development.

Reflecting on past challenges within UNSA, Mrs Museveni, who credited leadership training at Kyankwanzi and sustained prayer for the association’s current stability and progress, recalled the past governance challenges which nearly led to its suspension.

Mrs Museveni urged the student leaders to steward the current stability responsibly and avoid returning to past confusion, emphasising that national development requires patience and steady effort.

She also encouraged them to actively participate in the "Emerging Leaders Program", which fosters integrity and will help them grow as individuals and as leaders.

On youth empowerment, Mrs Museveni reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting unemployed graduates through a fund to be added under the Parish Development Model (PDM), and encouraged young people to use the facility to start enterprises and create jobs.

She also confirmed that the pledge to cover costs incurred during the recent UNSA Annual General Meeting at Seeta University would soon be credited to the association’s account.

Mrs Museveni also congratulated the young people for faithfully engaging in the electoral process and upon the victory God granted President Museveni and the NRM Party in the just-concluded elections. “I believe you each laid your brick on Uganda,” she said.

“I will continue to pray for UNSA, its leadership, and all students across the country. I pray that God will use this generation to give new hope to Africa,” Mrs Museveni said.

The Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, described the leadership transition as a symbol of renewed commitment to peace, integrity, and responsible stewardship within UNSA. He encouraged the students to remain ambassadors of unity and peace, reminding them of the important role student leadership plays in the country’s future and national development.

“You are leaders at a time when value-driven leadership is essential. Many of us in leadership today passed through student leadership structures,” Ogwang said, recounting his own journey from student leadership in Soroti S.S.S to Parliament and Cabinet.

Incoming UNSA President, Ms Sheila Ainembabazi, of Victoria University and the first female President from a private institution in recent years, described her election as a collective mandate from students across universities, tertiary institutions, and secondary schools. She pledged to lead a united, disciplined, and patriotic student movement.

“Student leadership is not opposition to government but partnership for progress,” Ainembabazi said, committing UNSA to being a responsible bridge between the students and the state, promoting structured dialogue, discipline, accountability, patriotism in action, and support for national development programmes.

She said her administration intends to focus on: digitalisation of education, affordable access to learning tools, advocacy against teenage pregnancies and school dropouts, fighting hidden fees in UPE/USE schools, empowerment of students, including those with ‘special abilities’, plus championing quality education, skills development, research, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.

She also announced plans to host an Africa Commonwealth Students Conference and a national students’ prayer day.

Outgoing UNSA President Wilson Mugazu thanked the First Lady and the Government for their continued support to student leadership. He highlighted achievements of the outgoing executive's one-year tenure, including promoting peace within UNSA, supporting students with disabilities, and organising national student engagements.

He tasked the Ministry of Education to look into the "harsh surcharge policies" regarding late tuition payments. "Surcharge has become a vice," Mugazu stated, explaining how students are penalised with heavy fees if tuition is not paid by the third week of a semester. "Why charge another big figure to someone who has already failed to pay?".

UNSA Executive Secretary, Cherukut Fred Toskin, described the swearing-in as historic, noting that it was the first time in nearly a decade that such a ceremony had been hosted at State House. He credited reforms, ideological training, and closer collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports for restoring stability and credibility within UNSA.

He also read out UNSA’s congratulatory message to President Museveni—the Association’s Patron—on his resounding win in the Presidential elections.