The Bible says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” That scripture is now becoming a lived reality for Museveni’s Youth Minister, Balaam Barugahara, who after decades of comfortable bachelorhood and Ssemyekozo escapades, has finally found a “good thing” — a lady named Aisha Kyamanywa.
Aisha, a civil servant in one of the government ministries in Kampala, is in her early 40s and originally from Masindi, just like Balaam. She is a proud Munyoro woman and a single mother who has raised her 13-year-old son single-handedly. Her son is currently in Senior One at one of Kampala’s elite schools.
She grew up in Mbuya and later Kiwatule, where her family lived in a condominium property. Her father, Norman Kyamanywa Mugasa, sadly passed away from COVID-19 in late 2021. Aisha’s mother, Fatna Nyangoma, is a retired nurse from Tooro.
Before joining Makerere University, where she graduated as a teacher, Aisha studied for six years at Mariam High School in Kawempe.
She comes from a well-educated and well-connected family. Her sister, Shakirah Kyamanywa, is a MUBS graduate in finance management and currently works in the aviation industry in Entebbe. Her brother, Hamza Kyamanywa, is a lawyer who previously worked under Senior Counsel Mohammed Mbabazi (known for representing Dr. Kizza Besigye). Hamza recently returned from Scotland, where he completed a Master’s degree in Oil and Gas Law, and has since opened his own law firm on Parliamentary Avenue.
Their father, the late Mzee Kyamanywa, was not only a prominent businessman with three wives but also a close friend of lawyer Mohammed Mbabazi – a fellow Munyoro and long-time associate of Balaam.
Aisha has built her own success over the years. She previously worked in the Ministry of Finance, handling fuel card administration, and has since risen through the ranks. Recently promoted, she now drives a government-assigned vehicle and is set to move into her newly completed mansion in Sonde, near Namugongo.
Aisha’s first and only child was fathered by Nathan Barinda, a handsome Mutoro man who works in the sales department at Airtel Uganda.
Her path crossed with Balaam’s not too long ago, during a period of family wrangles, in which Balaam and other influential Banyoro were called upon to mediate. It was through these interactions that a connection sparked between them.
When her father passed on, the Duwa prayers held 40 days after his death attracted significant attention – including a powerful delegation of senior Sheikhs sent by Mufti Mubajje to Masindi, underscoring the family’s stature and connections.
The late Kyamanywa left behind considerable property in Kampala, Hoima, and Masindi, and was known as the chief sugarcane outgrower for Kinyara Sugar Works.
Balaam, himself a successful businessman and politician, has already had his family formally express interest to Aisha’s people – signaling his serious intentions. He is reportedly working closely with Siraje Rurwarire, Aisha’s UK-based uncle, to finalize plans for a traditional visit and introduction ceremony.
Although an earlier visitation date was postponed, sources say preparations are back on track. Those close to Balaam reveal that he is genuinely excited and deeply committed to making Aisha his wife – for good and for keeps.
