If anyone wants a slice of the intimate life of the Museveni family, his wife’s autobiography delivers it

I have spent eight months trying to shape my views on Mrs. Janet Museveni’s autobiography, My Life’s Journey. An autobiography is an attempt to tell others that:  “This is who I am” or “This is how I see myself” and “This is how I want you to see me.” So it is an intimate self examination. Then of course, the challenge is how much to reveal about oneself – your triumphs and setbacks, aspirations and frustrations. In My Life’s Journey, I felt Mrs. Museveni did this with much greater success than most people would.

Mrs. Museveni’s autobiography is the opposite of Yoweri Museveni’s Sowing the Mustard Seed. Her husband’s autobiography is almost entirely about his political life; Mrs. Museveni’s is more about the family – the mundane and ordinary things that make life. The two met as kids studying in adjacent primary schools. Their courtship begins by a chance meeting in the parking lot of Hilton Hotel in Nairobi on Christmas day, 1972. They get married in London and Museveni is initially denied entry into England on the eve of their wedding. When they settle in exile in Dar Es Salam, a friend called Oyaka drives them to their first apartment because they did not have a car. A neighbour – a Scandinavian lady – drives them to hospital at 4am to deliver their first born, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

In this intimate tale of trials and tribulations, triumphs and frustrations, Mrs. Museveni is open and candid about their personal circumstances. She writes about days when they lived in a small hotel room, unable to pay bills; how they shifted into an apartment without curtains or electricity; and the moments when she worried about their next meal. She once travels from Dar Es Salam to Nairobi looking for a job to supplement their family income. She is full of gratitude to friends and family who helped them when they needed it most.

The story also reveals Yoweri Museveni, the person. Mrs. Msueveni describes the young Museveni: “He dressed very badly, always wearing mismatched shirts, trousers and boots. He was prone to wear red undershirts and then cover them with another coloured short-sleeved shirt, khaki trousers and black boots with colourful socks. Even though his dress was horrendous, he was always very clean which he still is to this day.”

When she begins her courtship with Museveni, Janet Kataha had just lost her mother, after also losing her only brother four years earlier. “I felt alone in the world and I did not know what to believe in any more,” she writes in what I felt was a revealing testimony. “When Yoweri entered my life he had such a calm certainty of character, as if there was a secret he was not telling... Yoweri has always possessed that quality, a steadfast indefatigable character. No matter what came against him, he would stay standing. He seemed so sure of his purpose and direction that nothing could bother him.”

Mrs. Museveni often lived in the homes of her relatives; some lived in her home. In My Life’s Journey, she is full of praise for her relatives and friends; tales of affection and generosity. Many people who have lived with relatives tell of abuse and mistreatment. One may suspect there must have been such moments and feelings in her experience with relatives too. Yet there is not a single criticism of those who opened their homes for her to live in. Why does she ignore them? What does this reveal about her character? This positive attitude goes to her assessment of all the friends and people she has lived or worked with.

There are episodes in the book where Mrs. Museveni reveals what she never intended – like her chance encounter with President Idi Amin in a restaurant in Masaka. She was having lunch with a friend when Amin walks in for lunch too – unannounced. He sits on a table a few feet from them. The young Janet Kataha walks over to him and introduces herself. Amin extends his hand and greets her too. Her commentary about Amin in regard to this incident is inconsistent with the ordinary lifestyle of this dictator. She proceeds to say that greeting Amin posed a danger to her.

Throughout most of the book, Museveni’s political struggles keep him away from his family. For example, in May 1978, he travels to Mozambique to join FRONASA recruits for training a day after his wife has given birth to their third child, Patience. This becomes worse when he is in the bushes of Luwero and the family are living as exiles in Sweden. Indeed, when Museveni went to visit his family in Sweden in 1985, their first daughter Natasha opened the door and immediately ran back into the house saying: “Mummy, there is a man at the door who says he is my father...”

The book makes intriguing comments on the failures of Uganda without the author making clear who she is blaming them on. For example, she criticises the Uganda education system for being outdated and concerned with topics irrelevant to Uganda’s needs. When she went to campaign for Parliament she realised that politicians win elections by bribing voters. When she became State Minister for Karamoja, she found that government has been pumping money into the region without anything to show for it. Her comments on the state of our healthcare system are as critical as those any opposition politician would make. And yet she still believes that her husband’s administration has been a very successful one.

And then one has to worry about Mrs. Museveni the politician for she couches her politics in the language of religion. For instance, her decision to run for parliament itself, she tells us, was an instruction from God. Then one has to ask themselves: If the first lady’s views in politics are guided by divine intervention, how can we mere mortals disagree with her? Would disagreement tantamount to opposing the almighty? In spite of these questions, My Life’s Journey is a must-read for anyone desirous to know the personal experiences of the Museveni’s and perhaps how those experiences have shaped their view of Uganda and its politics.

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Comments (35)

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written by Lt .Col Adam kifaliso, July 14, 2012

Now I know why there is greed everywhere in state house , m7s beginnings in poverty are to blame the culture of theft and corruption in NRM govt , Andrew you know it dear , you have even said it before , If she considers her husband's regime a success then , I wont buy or read the book , i leave it to you Andrew to read and re-write it later waste time and space discussing it it

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written by Arthur, July 14, 2012

Haha, Haha, got married in London! Read the book but saw no photo of the wedding to my disappointment. This is strange for people who are best known of showing off and trying to get acceptance and credibility. Also by saying they got married in London, they can dodge the issue of lack of witnesses.

Ugandans, there is need to read the book and ask yourself what it is not saying.

In the same book, there is a contradication on when the two first met. She says they met as kids going to neighbouring schools and school she mentions they 1st met at her uncle's home in Nbo or was it in the reasturant in the Hilton in NBO over lunch.

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The Book is Divine.
written by Rajab K, July 14, 2012

Most of the divine stuff is written in parables. That's why I won't read it, cause I won't understand it. And why was it their wish to wed in London? Any of their many relatives there? Or was it an introduction of Museveni to the Queen? Sorry if I appear silly but so is what I have just read? Parables.

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written by Omeros, July 14, 2012

"she criticises the Uganda education system for being outdated and concerned with topics irrelevant to Uganda’s needs. When she went to campaign for Parliament she realised that politicians win elections by bribing voters. When she became State Minister for Karamoja, she found that government has been pumping money into the region without anything to show for it. Her comments on the state of our healthcare system are as critical as those any opposition politician would make. And yet she still believes that her husband’s administration has been a very successful one." Cognitive dissonance. It's what get her through her day and allows her to believe in her and her party's managerial competence in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

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Dialectics!!!
written by Denis Musinguzi, July 15, 2012

I will read the book to inform my opinion about one of the rarest ladies I have respected and admired. From Mwenda's posting, however, she must be a master of dialectics to find the system presided over by husband dysfunctional, and yet credit it as an overall success! Dialectics -the unity of opposites -indeed!

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@Denis Musinguzi
written by Omeros, July 15, 2012

Denis - you must have heard enough of Mama Janet's public utterances on a variety of topics to recognise that the thing she least resembles is a dialectician. Weak admissions that public service delivery is poor (while omitting to mention that her party alone, which has controlled the presidency and parliament for over a quarter of a century, has had the unique opportunity to address the very shortcomings that she bewails) betrays a politician far out of her depth.

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@ Denis
written by Omeros, July 15, 2012

If Karamoja is incompetently administered - as Janet seems to suggest - then that should come as little surprise, since the state minister in charge of that region's affairs knew little of the locale and its problems before she was handpicked to direct the government's policy response to the particular challenges faced by that region. Since having been appointed state minister, by all accounts Janet has been a stranger to the region. As far as most observers are aware, Janet had no previous policy credentials in matters of development. The single advantage that she enjoyed over the myriad of better qualified candidates for the role for which she appears to care little was that she enjoys marital relations with the appointing authority. You could not make this stuff up.

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Re: useless
written by Musinguzi, July 15, 2012

Andrew, instead of addressing ways how Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC can overcome their weaknesses/animosity and create a multibillion dollar project like Kenya Ethiopia, S. Sudan are creating starting at Lamu with power distribution plans, railways, oilpipelines multi-laned roads etc, your mind can only think of giving us this? Please.

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shame on you Mwenda
written by Mak Jr, July 16, 2012

Its absurd to see Andrew Mwenda ,detoriorate n be reduced to only report on first families, today its Kgame's. tomorrow its Msven's, the other day their friends... What has really become of Andrew? you are doing injustice to yourself... stop being FANATIC

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To Omeros, "Musinguzi", and Mak Jr
written by Denis Musinguzi, July 16, 2012

Omeros, Janet would have done better reserving her biography do domestics, and may be devote another precious time to write a political commentary, about a system she not only forms part and benefits from; but which she would find a lot of trouble to reasonably defend. I find it a stark contradiction and unholy of her to gross over the public misery caused by government dysfunction, and then trumpet ululations of success.
To my namesake, Musinguzi, the previous issues of the independent devoted a reasonable amount of time and space to the DRC crisis. While I agree it deserves more attention, the independent's last word cannot be only on one subject.
For Mak Jr, the independent and Mwenda in particular has addressed many global issues beyond the first families.

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@denis musinguzi
written by Musinguzi, July 16, 2012

Denis, writing about how DRC and Rwanda tutsis are different from each other is not what I am asking of Andrew. I am asking him to task the presidents whose ears he has to enter agreements and projects that would see Rwanda's methane gas exported to Kampala, Kinshasha, Bujumbura; Uganda's oil exported to Kigali, Kinshasha and Burundi; Congo's falls in The East used for HEP and exported to Kampala, Kigali and Bujumbura and the four countries committing troups (after somalia) to form joint defence of all these installations, apparently almost all located in the same region.

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written by Musinguzi, July 16, 2012

These projects would require supportive infrastructure like pipelines, railways, interconnection electric lines, good roads etc. This is what Kenya, Ethiopia and Southern Sudan have already started on. The rest of us are here discussing first ladies, in a country whose husband has overseen power shortages, poor roads, poor healthcare, inability to plan for urban development and growth, to mention but a few. There are better things to talk about that would help us as country and as a region.

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written by Lt .Col Adam kifaliso, July 16, 2012

I red somewhere ,Mama Janet would served her adopted country better if she was trusted with managing a govt Biscuit factory,She would make sure high proteins biscuits reached the hungry and starving in Karamoja and far beyond in the lands where Robert Mao once spent whole days hunting for rodents to roast .By the ways is good govt shelved Bujagali project ,my risked dumping power on unprepared market this could easily have led to financial collapse of Karuma dam project ,m7 has also to settle Bujagali the agreements he made with Aga Khan make Obote turn in his grave ,wanting his to rise up and bite off both m7's ears

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NICE BOOK
written by Tina, July 16, 2012

I have read both books Sowing the mustard seed and MY Life's Journey during the Xmas holidays but to be honest it was not really a thriller although the M7 S was. it was hard finding them in bookstores but they are worth reading Janet's book carries the following message especially to us ladies.
1. Always be Patient and remain focused.
2. it was quite Inspiring and it gives hope especially to those who have lost hope.
3. You would get the sense that Janet is a prayerful person and means well in the things she does.
4. She is Someone who is down to earth and honest.
5. God answers prayers and looks at the inside of a person and rewards them accordingly.

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Good Advert Andrew
written by Joel jones, July 16, 2012

Thanks Andrew for advertising Your boss' wife's book. But Iam sorry I will not read it because from your summary it leaves many questions unanswered and instead glorifies the author and her dictator husband.

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@Musinguzi and Mwenda
written by Denis Musinguzi, July 16, 2012

Musinguzi, am honestly edified by your excellent knowledge and exposition about concerns of the great lakes region, which surely require concerted effort to work on and harmonize. While as on-line commentators we may not be in position to exert any credible influence, Mwenda could whisper into the ears of PK and M7 to champion the cause. I find it an excellent and rewarding idea, worth time and effort!
Andrew, could you comment on Musinguzi's concern?

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written by Tom, July 16, 2012

Mwenda is not worth the paper he writes on, he is a sell out mercenary that is only looking money! How men can stoop so low,

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The books assist to understand the situation we have in Uganda
written by Richard, July 17, 2012

I read janet's book and was so much baffled by the level of mismatch between the discussion and lessons learnt.
I would not have bothered, because I know  Janet was/ is far from an average student. What baffled me most was because I knew she had 'good' editors and advisers who would have pointed out such but feared the repercussions or gave the advice and were cautioned  against being rebels. This is how the first family has ruled Uganda. 

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Oh dear
written by Ahimbisibwe Karembe, July 18, 2012

Seriously Mwenda! Is this how low you have sunk in your quest to airbrush the paranoid first family? How the mighty fall! I recently read your Miria Obote and Rwakasisi stories and was left stunned by the level of insincerity and impudence you exhibited therein. As you you used to say of museveni: If the Mwenda of Mwenda live met the Mwenda of today, the former would just chop off the head of the latter. You are now rivaling the likes of James Kakoza and Kintu Nyago in cheer-leading the sabalwanyi. Oh dear!

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written by Lt .Col Adam kifaliso, July 18, 2012

In the end Kagame is going to be looser ,having fallen into the trappings of Andrew the village amateur internationalist. Kagame has always put Rwanda 1st and bigger than him , m7 on the other hand thinks he is bigger than Uganda ,the Ugandans want to see Rwanda through Kagame and not through they failed and hopeless dictator m7,Andrew by trying to bind the 3 in one package is jeopardising the future relations of Rwanda and Uganda , Kagame wishes Rwanda well and he will never dream of being part of m7's gross failure in Uganda , Andrew may smile but he is yet to be the peacemaker , he is a cash maker

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UnAfrican, Anachronistic Slave Mentality
written by Ocheto, July 18, 2012

Calling Janet Mrs. Museveni is a symptom of what went wrong with Europeanization of African societies: it is both un-African and demeaning - she has her own name, even her own children have their own names other than being called Museveni. And by the way Mwenda in all likelihood isn’t named after his father either. In Africa every person, boy or girl, man or woman, has their own unique name regardless of what relations they get into with others, until death part. In European norms, though, a woman’s name changes as she changes husbands: it is ridiculous and backward. But guess what? the royals are exempt. The Queen and her children are never referred to or identified with their fathers or husbands names.

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UnAfrican, Anachronistic Slave Mentality
written by Ocheto, July 18, 2012

So Africans have something in common with the royals? But this comment is really about the notion of autobiographical memoirs. They mean something and have credibility when they are written after retirement not while serving. But then again the Museveni regime is a dynasty. As decision makers (Uganda with its autocracy, on politics, economics, military or even legal matters, there is really one decision maker: Museveni) readers would be interested in knowing decisions and policies they are responsible for. But while they are still in power all you will hear is the usual less candor, obfuscation in the dodgy art of expedient politicking.

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The Hoima Women
written by Rajab kakyama, July 18, 2012

Instead of commenting about one woman, Janet. Can we shift the topic to the 90% Hoima women, who are at a risk of contracting HIV and other STD related diseases: please. I think it is time that the absentee landlords relinquished the land back to Bunyoro so as these women could divert their bedroom energies to their gardens.

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Please Mwenda look for God!
written by Man, July 18, 2012

Mwenda, you inspired alot of people, not by your attacks on Museveni but by standing for the downtrodden and for the truth. Put now at what you have become! When people like M7 refuse to leave power and drag the whole country to the ground with them as it sure is going to happen, we blame them. But look why the search for money and fame has reduced you this. What do you think would happen if you were the one in power. Trying to whitewash M7's regime and forgeting the dangers of poor governance and longevity for your selfish ends tells you how Africa is doomed. Who will then speak the truth? Who will stand for the country if prominent journalists sell out the way our parliamentarians sold out the country in 2005?

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Is this not Falsehood That Muhoozi Kainerugaba is Mrs Janet Museveni's first bilogical Son.
written by Gabriel Ssaved, July 20, 2012

Is this error by Andrew or it is actually in the book,My Life’s Journey That Muhoozi Kainerugaba is Mrs Janet Museveni's first bilogical Son . because some episode report otherwise. Any one to spill the beans?

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SHE AT LEAST TRIED... forgive her.
written by SAM N, July 21, 2012

I read MY LIFE'S JOURNEY 2 years ago on a plane from Uganda i must say all i could get out of it was how strong religious this lady is, how devoted she is to her god sent man and their cows. I was disappointed in her inability to understand WHY people write autobiographys and WHAT should be included is an autobiography especially of an important person like herself with such a powerful title. To me i would have thought she will uncover, clear out most unanswered theories about her family and her husbands politics in Uganda.all her book could have been put in one chapter and the rest she explores into more serious topics..but again its JANET..an S.2 drop out, i can forgive..i deserve my $24 refund for this book.

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written by Margaret S. Maringa, July 21, 2012

CONGRATULATIONS TO MAMA JANET KATAHA MUSEVENI : the mark of a successful woman comes when your husband's bitterest enemies and loudest critics -- begin enjoying tea and mandazi at your home -- and then go out and publicise your cooking all over the front page !!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Janet has no moral authority to critise her husband
written by Musinguzi, July 22, 2012

Let me say that I really like the first lady’s persona and the way she handles herself. As a Ugandan, I always feel good seeing our first lady among the other first ladies for example. Janet as a leader however, is like all these average leaders we are stuck with, who don’t have the managerial skills to move things. I haven’t read her book but if she critises her husband on service delivery, I would find it a travesty as her record does not speak better than her husband’s. We are tired of people who can only criticize at the very best because that is being opportunistic- of recent I have included Besigye among these.

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written by Musinguzi, July 22, 2012

Back to Janet- as a government leader, she is an MP and a minister. As an MP in Ruhaama, Itojo hospital is under her docket. This Obote-built hospital is in a sorry state like any other in the country. Buildings are rotting, the perimeter wall is falling apart, goats are roaming in the overgrown lawn inside the hospital premises and of course, apart from the usual panados after days ‘queues, nothing is to be found there worth talking about as a service.

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written by Musinguzi, July 22, 2012

A smart manager/leader would for example invite sadolin or any other paint manufacturers for a breakfast meeting. She would request them to paint the whole of Itojo starting from the gate and she (through the hospital administration) would allow them to erect a sign post on the gate reading: Itojo hospital maintained in good colours for the people of Ntungamo by sadolin paints, for example. At her level, her request is an indirect command, and yet sadolin would be also allowed an opportunity to advertise hence a win-win situation.

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written by Musinguzi, July 22, 2012

This is the same opportunity KCCA executive director has not taken. Why not invite MTN and ask them to design and maintain all roundabouts in CBD?, why not ask Stanbic to maintain all the green parks? Why not ask Standard chartered bank to construct seats in all green parks in the CBD? Why not ask Tullow oil to Plant trees in all these slums as a way of improving aesthetic / visual effects? Why not ask Umeme to light more streets so we can be protected from iron-bar hitmen? Come to Nairobi, this is what private companies are doing but those in Uganda, we wait for Andrew to only inform us how many billions they repatriated.

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written by Musinguzi, July 22, 2012

The second example is the flower farm near Rubare that is associated with the first lady. Half of the farm’s green houses are built and left for roaming cows to take shelter-characteristic of poor management in Uganda. You see, even in the bible that the first lady likes, the God that she says called her to lead Ruhaama, said that you will be entrusted with little and then more based on your performance with the little. The two examples don’t show a good, smart manager. In my recent visit to kampala I listened to a song in Luganda saying the obvious -tuli bakowu but he went on to wonder "Ani Aroga Uganda?" I cant but wonder the same.

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written by ali kayiira, August 02, 2012

musinguzi i read your comments you make total sense on all counts you rock!!

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Small minds
written by Steven Nsubuga, August 16, 2012

What do small minds talk about? Mwenda...you should answer that question. Indeed, yours is a small mind!!.

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MN
written by JAMES, August 23, 2012

Mwenda a u sure Muhoozi is the son of Janet , if there is no truth in that, then the whole truth regarding being sent by God to rule us is fantancy anyway Mwenda you know deep inside your heart that the time of Museveni and all the relatives and the Rdcs are over we all used to be the supporters of Museveni but Uganda now needs someone we a different vision
Bytheway how much is the budget for the state house per year its a shame, i think its a shame that all of us can cant rise and change this Govt and he is standing again oh God that serves Janet please help us.

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