Mrs Museveni is synonymous with care for the less fortunate
Mar 04, 2009
<b>By Eva Mwine</b><br><br>Imelda Marcos is remembered for her shoes; Marie Antoinette, of the French Revolution, for her careless “cake†remarks. In Uganda and across the globe the name Janet Museveni is synonymous with care of the orphan child, th
By Eva Mwine
Imelda Marcos is remembered for her shoes; Marie Antoinette, of the French Revolution, for her careless “cake†remarks. In Uganda and across the globe the name Janet Museveni is synonymous with care of the orphan child, the fight against HIV, support for rural women, the counselling of youth, the fight against maternal mortality, and, most recently, she is known as one of the first African First Ladies to become a Member of Parliament. All this is underpinned by her personal faith and public confession of Jesus Christ.
Through the challenges and controversies that characterise the highly coveted domain of state leadership in developing African countries, Uganda’s First Lady has for the last two decades, under public spotlight, remained focused on the core objective of making life better for as many people as her resources and initiative can reach.
The Ugandan woman has benefited from Mrs Museveni’s efforts; in a very real and practical way she is under-guarding, by her example, the positive policies of the NRM government towards the advancement of women.
Traditional prejudices are being watered down by the high profile witness she is giving of ‘feminine ability given the opportunity’; female subordination and male dominance are being replaced by partnership and mutual respect.
While many African first ladies in the past have spent the greater part of their presidential years sipping champagne in Europe’s leading designer boutiques, dazzling the pages of society magazines, Mrs. Museveni has, for two decades, in her sneakers and trademark ‘katambara’, traversed the trenches of poverty in Uganda reaching out to the disadvantaged, adding value to people’s lives by enlarging their perspective and restoring hope long diminished by the harsh realities of their grim circumstances.
During her travels alongside her husband she has, over the years, come into contact with the world’s most influential and wealthy citizens. Where most other women in her position have sat beside their husbands at global assemblies, looking picture-perfect, restricted to the simple duty of carrying out small talk at state banquets, Mrs. Museveni has seized every opportunity to illuminate the suffering of those Ugandans who live in poverty, sickness and dire need.
In the sterile and opulent surroundings of Palaces and State Houses, she has unashamedly cut through the veneer of diplomacy, punctuating the niceties with the not-so-nice stories that define global injustice.
In air-conditioned limousines she talks of the inferno of poverty and HIV; over five-course dinners she makes a plea for hungry orphans. On the roof tops of power and prestige, Uganda’s First Lady has hoisted an SOS flag for Uganda’s needy.
In 1986, she had barely unpacked her bags in State House when she went out rallying women together into a collective responsibility for orphans. These indigenous initiatives fanned into motion a wave that has been ridden by hundreds of local NGO’s who work to improve the lot of needy Ugandans.
The ‘community spirit’ that she started was planted on fertile ground, as evidenced by the local initiatives that subsequently sprang up in their thousands in the field of social development. It was as if people suddenly realised that they were not so helpless, after all, and that they did not have to fold their hands and wait for UNICEF, WFP and Red Cross to come their rescue.
Two years down the road of parliamentary stewardship, the visible developments in her constituency, Ruhaama, are clearly not a result of her proximity to State power and privilege, since none of her initiatives are government-funded. Rather, Ruhaama is reaping the dividend of donor confidence built over two decades of consistent accountability and tangible evidence of change on the ground. It is a track record that speaks for itself- a record that has been open to public scrutiny for more than two decades.
And so her life in leadership continues to evolve — one difficult assignment after another. Her most recent appointment as Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs was not a surprise to many, because this under-funded, unglamorous Ministry is right in the trenches of sacrifice where she operates best.
If a region can ever be called disadvantaged, then surely Karamoja is the most disadvantaged of all the regions of Uganda. Recall that one historical member of the NRM resigned in protest when he was appointed Minister for Karamoja. Very likely, “Mama Janet†will not wear the gloves of government formality that hamper the effective implementation of programs. She will, rather, create a real partnership with the people of Karamoja, one that goes beyond government workshops and administrative institutions, scrutinising the genetics of this conflict-ravaged region of Uganda. After all, Karamoja is not new to her; she has had development projects there for years, and a net work of friends.
Coming from a historically nomadic culture herself, Mrs. Museveni has an insight into the traditional mindset that keeps the Karamajong wondering in search of water and pasture for their cows.
Women throughout history have been catalysts of change, agents of peace, mediators and intercessors on behalf of suffering people, the maternal peace — making instinct of a woman equipped with the working tools of ministerial authority can make Janet Museveni an effective advocate for peace in Karamoja; her characteristically non-dictatorial style is likely to bring about the true collaboration required to bring down the barriers of mistrust, creating an environment for organic and lasting solutions to be found.
The writer is a freelance writer
Imelda Marcos is remembered for her shoes; Marie Antoinette, of the French Revolution, for her careless “cake†remarks. In Uganda and across the globe the name Janet Museveni is synonymous with care of the orphan child, the fight against HIV, support for rural women, the counselling of youth, the fight against maternal mortality, and, most recently, she is known as one of the first African First Ladies to become a Member of Parliament. All this is underpinned by her personal faith and public confession of Jesus Christ.
Through the challenges and controversies that characterise the highly coveted domain of state leadership in developing African countries, Uganda’s First Lady has for the last two decades, under public spotlight, remained focused on the core objective of making life better for as many people as her resources and initiative can reach.
The Ugandan woman has benefited from Mrs Museveni’s efforts; in a very real and practical way she is under-guarding, by her example, the positive policies of the NRM government towards the advancement of women.
Traditional prejudices are being watered down by the high profile witness she is giving of ‘feminine ability given the opportunity’; female subordination and male dominance are being replaced by partnership and mutual respect.
While many African first ladies in the past have spent the greater part of their presidential years sipping champagne in Europe’s leading designer boutiques, dazzling the pages of society magazines, Mrs. Museveni has, for two decades, in her sneakers and trademark ‘katambara’, traversed the trenches of poverty in Uganda reaching out to the disadvantaged, adding value to people’s lives by enlarging their perspective and restoring hope long diminished by the harsh realities of their grim circumstances.
During her travels alongside her husband she has, over the years, come into contact with the world’s most influential and wealthy citizens. Where most other women in her position have sat beside their husbands at global assemblies, looking picture-perfect, restricted to the simple duty of carrying out small talk at state banquets, Mrs. Museveni has seized every opportunity to illuminate the suffering of those Ugandans who live in poverty, sickness and dire need.
In the sterile and opulent surroundings of Palaces and State Houses, she has unashamedly cut through the veneer of diplomacy, punctuating the niceties with the not-so-nice stories that define global injustice.
In air-conditioned limousines she talks of the inferno of poverty and HIV; over five-course dinners she makes a plea for hungry orphans. On the roof tops of power and prestige, Uganda’s First Lady has hoisted an SOS flag for Uganda’s needy.
In 1986, she had barely unpacked her bags in State House when she went out rallying women together into a collective responsibility for orphans. These indigenous initiatives fanned into motion a wave that has been ridden by hundreds of local NGO’s who work to improve the lot of needy Ugandans.
The ‘community spirit’ that she started was planted on fertile ground, as evidenced by the local initiatives that subsequently sprang up in their thousands in the field of social development. It was as if people suddenly realised that they were not so helpless, after all, and that they did not have to fold their hands and wait for UNICEF, WFP and Red Cross to come their rescue.
Two years down the road of parliamentary stewardship, the visible developments in her constituency, Ruhaama, are clearly not a result of her proximity to State power and privilege, since none of her initiatives are government-funded. Rather, Ruhaama is reaping the dividend of donor confidence built over two decades of consistent accountability and tangible evidence of change on the ground. It is a track record that speaks for itself- a record that has been open to public scrutiny for more than two decades.
And so her life in leadership continues to evolve — one difficult assignment after another. Her most recent appointment as Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs was not a surprise to many, because this under-funded, unglamorous Ministry is right in the trenches of sacrifice where she operates best.
If a region can ever be called disadvantaged, then surely Karamoja is the most disadvantaged of all the regions of Uganda. Recall that one historical member of the NRM resigned in protest when he was appointed Minister for Karamoja. Very likely, “Mama Janet†will not wear the gloves of government formality that hamper the effective implementation of programs. She will, rather, create a real partnership with the people of Karamoja, one that goes beyond government workshops and administrative institutions, scrutinising the genetics of this conflict-ravaged region of Uganda. After all, Karamoja is not new to her; she has had development projects there for years, and a net work of friends.
Coming from a historically nomadic culture herself, Mrs. Museveni has an insight into the traditional mindset that keeps the Karamajong wondering in search of water and pasture for their cows.
Women throughout history have been catalysts of change, agents of peace, mediators and intercessors on behalf of suffering people, the maternal peace — making instinct of a woman equipped with the working tools of ministerial authority can make Janet Museveni an effective advocate for peace in Karamoja; her characteristically non-dictatorial style is likely to bring about the true collaboration required to bring down the barriers of mistrust, creating an environment for organic and lasting solutions to be found.
The writer is a freelance writer