As Uganda prepares for its general elections, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima took a moment of quiet reflection with her son Anselm along the Nile, sharing her thoughts on life, purpose, and family.
Posting on Twitter, Byanyima described watching the last sunset of 2025 alongside a giraffe and a saddle-billed stork, expressing gratitude for life, love, and community.
“We watched the last sunset of 2025 on the Nile. A giraffe and a saddle-billed stork were watching too. I felt deeply grateful—for life, for love, for community. Thank you for walking this journey with me. Happy New Year—may 2026 be kind to you,” she wrote.
Byanyima also shared reflections on entering a new chapter of life with intention and courage. She announced plans to return to Kasangati to create Msimamo, a space dedicated to stillness, family, community, and joy. “‘Msimamo,’ Swahili for ‘stance’ or ‘principled ground,’ will be a place where I plant myself again—rooted. From there, I must decide how, and with whom, I will contribute: to my local community; to the women’s rights movement in Uganda and Africa; to my country; and to the world,” she wrote.
Her messages also highlighted pride in her son, Anselm, now in his second year of PhD studies and teaching, praising his brilliance and courage while acknowledging the challenges of letting children grow in their own way.
“I admire his brilliance and courage. And yes, I sometimes wish he embraced more of my faith, my community—but I am learning that love is also a practice of letting go and trusting that our children will grow into their light in their own time,” she said.
Despite the peaceful retreat, Byanyima acknowledged the tense political climate in Uganda ahead of the elections, noting arrests, threats, and fear in the country. She reaffirmed her commitment to stand by long-time colleague Kizza Besigye, currently imprisoned and facing charges of treason.
“Our story is political, yes, but it is also deeply human. Loyalty, love, and resistance are what have held us upright,” she tweeted.
Byanyima’s posts convey a mix of personal reflection, maternal pride, and political awareness, illustrating the intersection of family, activism, and mindfulness even amid national uncertainty.
“The year is ending. I am in a place of rare stillness—surrounded by birds, animals, forest, and the Nile. Only here do I feel my feet touch the ground. It has not been a year of quiet: disruption, strain, profound challenge. And yet, here, I can breathe,” she wrote, capturing the serene close to a turbulent year.
