Musaazi NAMITI
It has been more than a month since the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, was last seen in public.
She has missed official and family events without public explanation.
Yet Uganda’s mainstream media, notably the Daily Monitor, which for decades has been the go-to media outlet for accountability journalism, have largely avoided the subject altogether, despite growing public speculation online.
Daily Monitor’s had a brief mention of the First Lady being conspicuously absent at her husband’s inauguration on May 12. The news outlet is barred from covering state events, especially those where Mr Museveni is in attendance.
The Observer also published a brief story about Mrs Museveni being absent. Pro-government outlets such as the New Vision, NBS continue to avoid the story like it is a plague for reasons that are too obvious to state.
Why the media has been largely silent
- The story is considered too sensitive. Sources close to the First Family would not talk to the media, making it hard to report the story meaningfully.
- State access pressures shape newsroom decisions.
- For Daily Monitor, this is already slippery ground. The government and the First Family have complained once too often about the paper’s coverage—part of the reason its journalists are banned from covering state events.
- Editors in Uganda often operate within political and commercial constraints that influence editorial judgment, particularly on stories involving the First Family.
What is publicly known
- Mrs Museveni has not been publicly seen since March 21. Her X account, previously updated regularly, has posted only twice since then.
- On April 1, the Ministry of Education and Sports announced that she would officiate at the release of the UVTAB Nov/Dec 2025 assessment results at the UVTAB Secretariat. She did not attend, and no explanation was given.
- Retired Lieutenant General Proscovia Nalweyiso told content creator Ruth Kalibbala in a recent interview that President Museveni had informed her and others in a meeting that the minister had fallen ill but was recovering.
- On April 26, President Yoweri Museveni shared photographs on X from a family introduction ceremony involving one of their granddaughters, Sasi Karugire. Mrs Museveni did not appear in the photographs, drawing renewed attention online.
- On May 12, the First Lady was absent from her husband’s inauguration event, where Mr Museveni was accompanied by their daughter, Natasha Karugire.
The information vacuum
- Mainstream media silence has not stopped public discussion.
- Speculation has instead shifted to TikTok, WhatsApp and YouTube.
- Absence of official communication has created room for rumours.
- OJ-UGANDA has previously contacted the Media Centre for any update but got no response.
- A journalist named Arnold Anthony Mukose was arrested and charged with publishing false and distressing information after she claimed the First Lady had died. He has since been granted bail.
Why does the public want to know
- Janet Museveni is a cabinet minister and heads one of the largest ministries, with an equally large budget.
- Prolonged absence from official duty naturally raises questions.
- Asking questions is not the same as spreading rumours.
What remains unanswered
- Is the First Lady recovering?
- When will she get back to work?
- Have her duties been delegated?
- Why has there been no formal clarification?
Timeline
March 21 — Last documented public appearance and final post on X
March 28 — Illness rumours begin circulating online
March 28 — Daughter postpones thanksgiving service without explanation
April 1 — Misses scheduled ministry event with no official clarification
April 2 — Her X page shares a post from her ministry about the attack on a nursery in Ggaba that left four children dead
April 26 — Absent from granddaughter’s introduction ceremony shared publicly by President Museveni
May 12 — Absent from her husband’s inauguration at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds
Present Day — No public appearance or government explanation
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