The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, has been honoured with the prestigious International Women Icon Award 2025, presented by Binary University of Malaysia.
The award ceremony took place at State House, Entebbe, where President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni congratulated her on the achievement, describing it as a well-deserved recognition of her lifelong service.
President Museveni praised the First Lady’s profound personal and national contributions, recalling her steadfast support during the bush war years when she singlehandedly raised their children.
He described her as a gifted home builder, a philanthropist, and a leader whose values have shaped communities across Uganda. He also commended her prayerfulness, saying her spiritual dedication has positively influenced sectors such as sports, which have recently seen significant international progress.
The President further highlighted her transformative work in Karamoja, where she served as Minister, improving livelihoods in a region long affected by insecurity.
The award was presented by Dr Rohini Devi, Deputy Vice Chancellor and founding Director of the Centre for Women Leadership at Binary University. Dr Rohini said the honour recognises Maama Janet’s exceptional commitment to girls’ education, women’s empowerment, child welfare and community development.
She also noted the First Lady’s personal sacrifices, including her resilience during Uganda’s liberation struggle and her groundbreaking efforts through the Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO).
Receiving the award, Maama Janet expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, attributing her achievements to God’s guidance throughout her life—from the years her family spent in exile to her humanitarian work supporting orphans affected by HIV/AIDS and conflict. She reflected on UWESO’s impact and her continued efforts to uplift rural women, strengthen families and promote value-based leadership.
Maama Janet also encouraged young Ugandans to take inspiration from positive leadership examples and contribute to building the nation. “May this prestigious award inspire our young population to lay their own brick in this building called Uganda,” she said.
The Minister of State for Higher Education, Hon. JC Muyingo, applauded her visionary leadership in the education sector, while Binary University founder and Chancellor Professor Joseph Adaikalam described her as an exceptional global role model.
He emphasised that the International Women Icon Award is the university’s highest honour, given annually to only one outstanding woman worldwide.
The ceremony was attended by officials from Binary University and senior government leaders.
