President Yoweri Museveni and the First Lady and education minister, Janet Museveni, will spend Easter at their country home in Rwakitura.

That is according to a brief statement released by the President's press team on Friday.

The statement was issued by Faruk Kirunda, the President's deputy press secretary.

"This is to inform the country that the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataha Museveni, will be spending the Easter holidays at their country home in Rwakitura," it said.

Alongside the statement came photos of the President and the First Lady boarding a UPDF chopper at Entebbe, for their flight to Rwakitura.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Christians across the country took part in the Way of the Cross, a traditional devotion in honour of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The procession happens on Good Friday, two days before Easter Sunday. In Kampala, the ecumenical prayers were held at Old Kampala, bringing together faithful from different Christian denominations.

In their messages, the religious leaders touched on different subjects, including environmental issues, corruption, children rights and family in general.

"This Easter, as a country and in our families, may we all know this truth about Jesus — "Because He lives, we can face tomorrow"," said Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu in his Easter message for this year.

On Sunday, Ugandan faithful will join the rest of the Christian world in celebrating Easter Sunday, which will come at the very conclusion of what has been a month of devotion and prayer for believers.

For many Ugandans, the Easter holiday is a much-needed relief off their busy working lives, offering many ample time to connect more with their families and friends. For others, it is an opportune time for personal reflection.

In Rwakitura, the President will also have some time off with his family, having had a typically busy past week.

On Thursday, he hosted the Elders Mentorship/Leadership Awards luncheon at State House Entebbe, during which he recognized the late Jacob Oulanyah, who was the Speaker of Parliament and Omoro County MP at the time of his death in March 2022.

The function was graced by the Speaker of Ethiopia's House of People's Representatives, Tagese Chafo, who delivered a keynote address.

'Right path'

Also this week, the President hosted Muslims to an Iftra dinner at State House Entebbe on Wednesday.

"I appreciate that most of the religious groups, including Muslims appear to be making progress in correcting the mistakes of the 1950s and 1960s. For instance, the belief that one does not need to work if they are religious, as God will provide for them," he said.

"This is the perfect harmony without the message of wealth creation and advocacy for equal opportunities through programmes such as the parish development model (PDM). I am confident that we are on the right path."

Relatedly, it was also the same week in which Museveni launched Salaam Bank, Uganda's first-ever licensed Islamic banking institution. 

"Islamic banking has the potential to make a significant contribution to the development of Uganda's financial sector by bringing more Muslims to the money economy," he said during the event at Kololo Independence Grounds.

Ecumenical prayers of the Way of the Cross

• The President also witnessed the swearing-in of six newly appointed ministers, which was presided over by the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe.

The new ministers, whose appointments were announced in a Cabinet reshuffle last Thursday (March 21), are:

▪️ Lillian Aber, Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees

▪️ Dr. Kenneth Omona, Minister of State for Northern Uganda 

▪️ Florence Wamala Nambozo, Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs

▪️ Phiona Nyamutoro, Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development in charge of Minerals

▪️ (Former Chief of Defence Forces) Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade and Co-operatives

▪️ Balaam Barugahara, Minister of State for the Youth and Children