Powerful Ugandan politician Winnie Byanyima has today Wednesday agreed to step down as Oxfam boss, Chimp Corps exclusively report. A human rights advocate, Byanyima is the wife of Ugandan opposition leader, Dr Kizza Besigye.

In an email to staff, Byanyima today said she had been “asked by UNAIDS to become its new Executive Director and have accepted the job.”

She said she took up the job due to her passion to confront the AIDS scourge. Below is Byanyima‘ emotional email to Oxfam staff in full:

Dear colleagues,

I’ve been asked today by UNAIDS to become its new Executive Director and have accepted the job. As I shared with you before, a number of women’s rights activists, human rights activists and people living with HIV/AIDS encouraged me most strongly to apply and lead the global effort at the UN to fight HIV/AIDS. I have very personal reasons for doing so. I lost my brother Bernard to AIDS as well as many comrades, friends and relatives.

I’m guardian to children who are HIV/AIDS orphans. Like most other Ugandans, HIV/AIDS has been part of my life and ending it is an extremely important social justice issue, particularly so in Africa where the epidemic is most experienced. I am greatly honoured to be selected to lead UNAIDS.