President Yoweri Museveni has shared a personal story of divine intervention that he believes saved his life decades ago.

During a speech at the funeral of former Moroto MP Simon Aleper, Museveni recounted a near-fatal car accident that occurred in 1979 amidst the conflict that led to the overthrow of President Idi Amin.

The President explained that the incident happened while travelling on a dirt road from Mbarara to Tanzania. At the time, Museveni was using a Land Rover provided by the Tanzanian army, with a Tanzanian driver named Twaha. Museveni took the wheel to give the driver a break, but unexpectedly, the vehicle veered off the road and into the bushes.

“I almost ended up like Aliper. We were travelling from Mbarara to Tanzania. At the time we had captured Mbarara and the Tanzanian army had given me a landrover with a Tanzainian driver called Twaha, it was my turn to drive so the driver could rest. Then out of nowhere, the landrover swerved off the road into the bush,” Museveni told mourners at the NRM offices in Kampala where the former MP’s body was brought for viewing.

Museveni described the moment as a narrow escape, noting that the area was fortunately clear of trees, which likely prevented a more severe outcome.

“But fortunately it was just grassland with no trees.”

At the funeral service, Museveni encouraged the bereaved family to put their trust in God.
“God knows why he decided to take Aliper at such a young age,” he added.

Reflecting on the experience, he believed that a higher power intervened to protect him.

Speaking to mourners gathered at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) offices in Kampala, Museveni drew a parallel between his experience and Aleper’s untimely death, suggesting that the timing of such events is beyond human understanding.

He encouraged Aleper’s family to find solace in their faith, emphasizing that divine wisdom guides life’s events.

To support Aleper’s widow, Museveni pledged to build a new house for the family and to secure a government job for her, offering practical assistance in their time of loss.