Irene Uwoya, widely known as Oprah, is not one to soften the truth about her past. The former wife of the late Rwandan football star Hamad Katauti Ndikumana has spoken about a regret that still weighs heavily on her life: walking away from the one marriage she says truly mattered. ALSO READ: Why ‘Layers’ is becoming a go-to space for authentic creative stories in Rwanda Appearing on A List, a new reality series that brings together some of Tanzania’s most recognisable women, including Kajala Masanja, Jackline Wolper, Wema Sepetu and Aunt Ezekiel, Uwoya opened up about love, loss and the choices that shaped her journey beyond the spotlight. When the conversation turned to her love life, Uwoya was quick to correct a long-held public assumption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irene Uwoya (@ireneuwoya8) Despite years of tabloid speculation, she said she has only ever been married once, to Katauti. All other relationships, she explained, were just that, relationships, not marriages. She described Katauti as the man who loved her most deeply, admitting that her own immaturity played a central role in the collapse of their union. “Of all the men I have been with, he loved me the most. He always put me first,” Uwoya said. “But I am the one who caused our separation. It was my mistake.” Uwoya reflected on how Katauti’s devotion to her sometimes spilled into his professional life, creating tension she did not know how to manage at the time. “He was calm and stable, and he truly loved me,” she said. “But I wasn’t calm. I was still young. I had my son when I was 22, and at that age, I wanted too many things.” Now a prominent figure in Tanzania’s beauty and cosmetics space, Uwoya admitted that professional success has not erased the emotional weight of losing someone who loved her unconditionally. “I wish time could turn back, but it doesn’t work that way,” she said. “Opportunities come once. Even after we separated, he continued to love me. Losing him affected me deeply.” “If I ever saw him again, I would give everything, take my time, and ask him for forgiveness,” she added. Katauti died in 2017, leaving behind one child from the marriage, Krish Ndikumana. He remains one of Rwanda’s most respected football figures, having played for top clubs including Rayon Sports, where he later served as an assistant coach, as well as KAA Gent in Belgium and AC Omonia and AEL Limassol in Cyprus. Katauti was also part of the Rwanda national team that made history by qualifying for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, the country’s only appearance at the tournament to date.
