Winnie Byanyima reveals how Museveni invited her to join the rebellion

Many Ugandans were shocked when Winnie Byanyima, a veteran politician and current Executive Director of UNAIDS, shared an unexpected story about President Yoweri Museveni. While speaking at a public event, she revealed that Museveni personally invited her to join him "in the bush" when she was still a university student.

"President Museveni used to call me to join him in the bush when I was at university," she said, surprising the audience.

In Uganda’s history, the term “the bush” refers to the guerrilla war that Museveni and his National Resistance Army (NRA) fought against the government in the early 1980s. Byanyima’s statement suggests that Museveni, who was leading the armed struggle at that time, tried to recruit her to join the rebellion.

Byanyima has had a long political journey. She was once connected to Museveni’s camp and worked alongside him after the NRA took power in 1986. Her family also had ties to the president. However, political differences later led her to become a strong opposition figure. She eventually married Dr. Kizza Besigye, who was Museveni’s former personal physician and later became one of his biggest political challengers.

Byanyima’s revelation has caused widespread discussion in Uganda. Many people are now wondering how the country’s political situation might have changed if she had accepted Museveni’s invitation. Social media users have been actively debating the importance of her statement.

Some believe her words provide a new perspective on Uganda’s political history. Others see it as proof of how Museveni strategically recruited intellectuals and young leaders to build his movement.

So far, neither Museveni nor his office has commented on Byanyima’s statement. This silence has left room for speculation. Some political analysts suggest that her words highlight the complicated relationships and changing alliances that have shaped Uganda’s politics over the years.