Museveni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Health Following Deaths of Ministers

President Yoweri Museveni called on leaders to go for regular health checkups and ensure they get enough rest, citing the deaths of Aronda Nyakarima and Sarah Mateke, both ministers who died from pre-existing health conditions.

"My appeal to the cadres is that you should take care of your lives, not just for yourselves but also for all of us. When someone passes away, they leave a significant gap behind," the president posted on X on Tuesday after joining lawmakers in parliament to pay tribute to the former Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs (Defence), Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, who died of a heart attack on September 7.
"Please ensure you receive proper health checks, and if you need to rest, do take the time to do so. May her soul rest in eternal peace."

Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, who was the Minister of Internal Affairs, died in 2015 while returning from a security conference in South Korea. Nyirabashitsi was also expected to travel to the same country for the same conference.

“The fighters should also look out for their lives, not just for themselves but also for all of us, because when you go, you leave us in problems. How shall we fill your gap? What shall we do? How shall we fill the space you have left?” Museveni asked.
The president had earlier in the day delivered a keynote speech on the opening day of events organized in honor of the General, who served as Chief of Defence Forces from 2003 to 2013. The events, dubbed the 'Hon Gen Aronda Nyakairima Memorial Events,' include lectures and the inaugural Kampala Defence and Security Expo, which will be held from September 10-12.

At the event, the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, noted that Gen Aronda's story, along with those of other heroes, provides a powerful example of courage, dedication, and commitment.

"Honouring their legacy will inspire current and future leaders in both military and civilian spheres," Gen Kainerugaba said.

Meanwhile, President Museveni, who admitted that he had not interacted much with the late Nyirabashitsi, described her as a very ‘calm lady who did not appear to be sensitive, aggressive, or touchy’.

He said that his interaction with her was when he formed an inter-ministerial committee to study the issue of the Uganda-Congo border.

“She was there representing Kisoro, and they were supposed to brief me. That is when I interacted with her closely. You could see she was very careful with her words, so it is a big loss,” Museveni said.

He added, “But in the few years she has been here [in Parliament], I am sure she has become an example to those who knew her well in the Kisoro area. When you hear people giving testimonies that she was good, you know she was really good.”

Nyirabashitsi, who died on Saturday, represented Kisoro District as the woman representative in the 9th and 11th Parliament.

She was appointed Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development (Children and Youth Affairs) in June 2021 and was later redeployed to the defence ministry in April 2024.

She will be buried in Nyakabingo, Kisoro, on Thursday, September 12.