Winnie Byanyima has announced that she is writing a book, and part of it will cover her past relationship with President Yoweri Museveni.
The UNAIDS executive director made the revelation on X while responding to a discussion on NBS TV, where veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda diverted from the topic of Kizza Besigye’s alleged illegal detention to bring up her ties with Museveni.
"If it is really of interest to him, he should wait for my book, it is an interesting story!" Byanyima posted on X.
Byanyima is widely believed to have had a romantic history with Museveni before she married Kizza Besigye on July 7, 1999, in Nsambya, Kampala. The couple share a son, Anselm Besigye, who is currently pursuing a PhD at Columbia University in New York.
Byanyima’s journey from engineering to politicsWinifred Byanyima, born January 13, 1959, is a distinguished aeronautical engineer, politician, human rights activist, feminist, and diplomat.
She has been at the helm of UNAIDS since November 2019. Before this, she served as executive director of Oxfam International from May 2013 to November 2019 and was the director of the Gender Team at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2006.
Born in Mbarara District during British protectorate rule, Byanyima is the daughter of Boniface Byanyima, a former Democratic Party national chairman, and Gertrude Byanyima, a former schoolteacher who passed away in November 2008.
Byanyima attended Mount Saint Mary’s College Namagunga before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering at the University of Manchester, becoming Uganda’s first female aeronautical engineer.
She later obtained a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cranfield University, specialising in energy conservation. She worked as a flight engineer with Uganda Airlines before joining the bush war that brought Museveni to power.
Her diplomatic career began in 1989 when she was appointed Uganda’s ambassador to France, a role she held until 1994, before returning to engage in local politics. She played a crucial role in drafting Uganda’s 1995 Constitution as a Constituent Assembly member.
Byanyima went on to represent Mbarara Municipality in parliament for two terms (1994-2004) before transitioning to international roles, including director of the Directorate of Women, Gender and Development at the African Union and director of the Gender Team at UNDP in 2006.