President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that he recently narrowly avoided a car accident while driving himself and members of his family at his country ranch in Kisozi.
The 82-year-old president made the revelation on Wednesday during a thanksgiving event for Tarehe Sita celebrations held in Kampala.
Museveni said the incident occurred “a few days ago” when he was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser as part of his official motorcade at the ranch.
According to the president, he momentarily lost concentration while chatting with his wife, Janet Museveni, and their daughter who were passengers in the vehicle.
“I was driving with Mama and my daughter and I became a botanist, showing my daughter the different tree species while driving,” Museveni said.
“I got diverted and almost got off the road. We could have had an accident. But God brought me back,” he added.
Museveni is known to occasionally drive himself, particularly when visiting his private ranches and his country home in Kisozi in central Uganda. Despite his age, the president has repeatedly said he remains a qualified and capable driver.
The remarks were made during the thanksgiving event following this year’s Tarehe Sita celebrations, which commemorate the February 6, 1981 attack on Kabamba Barracks that marked the start of the guerrilla war which eventually brought the ruling National Resistance Movement to power.
Museveni used the event to reflect on the role of faith and discipline in leadership, saying the near-miss reminded him of the importance of staying focused even during routine activities.
The president frequently spends time at his Kisozi ranch where he oversees agricultural activities and often hosts government officials and visitors.
