Some prominent lives we lost in 2023

Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, in a statement that night, said: “The incident took place while Tusubira Ibrahim was travelling in his motor vehicle, with his driver, Mr Waswa Mathias.”

His shooting came a few days after he had recorded a controversial video praising the bodyguard of former Labour minister Charles Engola for killing his boss, who according to late Olaxes, had joined a den of tormentors to torture the rest of the population. 

Police immediately kicked off the investigation into his murder, arrested his driver and they are yet to release a detailed finding.

Keith Muhakanizi

One of Uganda’s economic gurus, the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Keith Muhakanizi, died on April 13 in a hospital in Milan, Italy, after a long illness. 

Muhakanizi, who served as the PSST between 2013 and 2021 before being replaced by Ramathan Ggoobi, was praised as one of the architects of Uganda’s post 1986 economy that put a premium on deregulation and privatisation as a way of resuscitating the economy after years of political and economic turmoil. 

By the time of his death, he had served as the Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for two years.

Minister Charles Engola

Former Oyam North legislator and State minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Charles Okello Engola, was on May 2, shot dead by his bodyguard, Pte Wilson Sabiiti.

Pte Sabiiti, who later took his own life, shot his boss, who he had guarded for barely a month, in the morning as the latter was preparing to go for a Cabinet meeting that day.

Earlier reports indicated that poor pay and maltreatment was the main cause, which the government rejected. 
Minister Engola’s shooting sent shockwaves to government officials about their safety.
Further investigations into the matter are still ongoing. 

Before joining the Labour ministry,  the late Engola had previously served as minister of state for Defence. 
While in the military, Engola was the commander of UPDF 501 Brigade at Opit, in Gulu District.

Apollo Nyegamehe, alias Aponye

Apollo Nyegamehe, alias Aponye, died in a car accident at Itojo in Ntungamo District on July 6.

By the time of his death, he owned numerous businesses including malls and Mega Standard Supermarket.

He was also the Rukiga District chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement by the time of his death.

He shot to the limelight when he was handpicked to supply food relief to the vulnerable communities in Kampala during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Archbishop Paul Bakyenga

Former Archbishop of Mbarara, Paul Bakyenga, died on July 18.

Born in June 1944 in present-day Bushenyi District, Archbishop Bakyenga, who served the church in numerous ranks, started his education journey at Ibaare Primary School. 

He later joined Ibanda Preparatory Seminary from 1958 to 1960.

He was ordained a priest on July 11, 1971, at Mushanga Parish at the age of 27. Eighteen years later, Bakyenga was appointed bishop and later archbishop.

His appointment came after the resignation of Bishop John Baptist Kakubi, who resigned in 1991.
He served up to 2022 when he also threw in the towel, prompting the Pope to appoint the current Archbishop of Mbarara Lambert Bainomugisha.

Numerous reports indicate that Archbishop Bakyenga preached social, education and justice beyond just religion.  He once said: “Our idea isn’t just to produce law-abiding citizens. The idea of the Church is to produce Saints. Our idea is to take people before God. There’s no way we can change society unless we have Just men, who know how to do what’s right without publicising it.”

Dr Aggrey Kiyingi

Dr Aggrey Kiyingi, a Ugandan cardiologist, died on September 30 in Australia where he had lived for long.
He became a consultant cardiologist in 1989. 

He worked as a specialist cardiologist in Sydney, Australia at Westmead and Concord hospitals. 

He graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

Dr Kiyingi became popular around the early 2000s when he started dishing out cash to churches and non-governmental organisations around Kampala whenever he returned home from Australia where he worked.

He was thrust in the limelight when he was later accused of masterminding the murder of his wife, Robinah Kiyingi, a Kampala lawyer, who was gunned down at her home in Buziga, a Kampala suburb.

He was also accused of funding the assailants of the Allied Democratic Forces rebels and was charged with treason.
He denied any wrondoing, saying the accusation was politically motivated.  

In 2015, Dr Kiyingi announced plans to return to Uganda to challenge President Museveni in the 2016 general election but it never happened. 

Evelyn Nakabira, alias Evelyn Lagu

The entertainment industry and country at large, on September 18, woke up to the unfortunate news of the death of the popular artiste Evelyn Nakabira, alias Evelyn Lagu. 

At the time of her death, she was battling kidney disease, which had tormented her for some years.

She had been flown to Turkey to conduct a kidney transplant, which was later declined by medical experts, who said her health status was not suitable for it.

Hussein Kyanjo
The former MP of Makindye West, Hussein Kyanjo, breathed his last at Kibuli Hospital, Kampala on July 22, after an illness for nearly 10 years.

Kyanjo represented the people of Makindye West on the Justice Forum (JEEMA) ticket  in the 10th Parliament.
His health reportedly started deteriorating in 2011 when he travelled to Johannesburg, South Africa, and two days into the trip,  he started struggling to speak.

He was examined but no problem was found until he visited a hospital in Iran where he was diagnosed with a disease called Dystonia. 

It is explained as involuntary muscle contractions that cause repetitive or twisting movements. 
Dystonia may affect one or more parts of the body and sometimes the entire body.

Kato Lubwama

Popular comedian and former Rubaga South Member of Parliament, Kato Lubwama, died on June 7 at a medical facility in Kampala.

The theatre drama-actor, who rose to fame in the 1990s, was the founder of Diamonds Ensemble that is credited, along with a wave of theatre companies, with reviving the performing arts in Uganda.

As interest in theatre performance waned in the 2000s, Lubwama would transition to the nascent FM radio medium, furthering his renown art on CBS FM Kalisoliso programme. 

He later formed a powerful partnership with fellow actors Abby Mukiibi and Patricko Mujjuka.  His burial sparked debate when Bobi Wine advised artistes to push for the Copyright law other than depending on government handouts, which angered Eddy Kenzo, the president of the Uganda Musician Federation, there after causing a social media war.

Ismail bin Sulaiman Nkata

Sheikh Ismail bin Sulaiman Nkata, a popular Muslim cleric, died at Nsambya hospital on Saturday last week.

He was one of the most senior preachers in Central region and he had an intensive weekly preaching programme, including visiting hospitals, and Islamic educational seminars in mosques where he interpreted the Holy Quran.  He preached Islam on Facebook. 

He began his studies at the Al-Hidaya Islamic School in Mityana before moving to Zikr Kalungu School. He later joined the Islamic Institute in Jinja District for the intermediate stage.  

He then joined the Africa Islamic Centre in Khartoum in Sudan for the secondary stage, before later joining the Islamic University of Medina in 1989. He graduated in 1992. He also attained a higher diploma in education at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. 

Muhammad Tezikuba Kisambira

On Thursday, August 3, Muhammad Tezikuba Kisambira, died in hospital in Tehran, Iran. At the time of his death, Kisambira had served as Uganda’s ambassador to Iran since 2020.

He was also accredited to a host of countries namely Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Palestine, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Before his ambassadorial roles, he had served as a Muslim scholar, as well as the head of administration and planning at the Muslim Scholar’s Forum.

Stuart Mutebi Kiwanuka

A legendary sports commentator, Stuart Mutebi Kiwanuka, succumbed to stroke on May 21.  He had suffered from this illness for more than four years.

He served on different radio stations, including Radio Uganda (now UBC Radio), the Buganda Kingdom-owned Central Broadcasting Service (CBS), and Super FM, among others.  He was praised as one of the greatest sports presenters.

Twaha Agarile

Twaha Agarile, a prominent businessman in West Nile, breathed his last on December 8 at Madipol Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.

Agarile, who was in his 40s, was the proprietor of Nile Star Bus Company that plies the Yumbe-Arua- Kampala route. 

Henry Katanga

Prominent Kampala businessman and Ankole Prince, Henry Katanga, was shot dead inside his bedroom on November 1, at Mbuya Hill. Police detectives attributed it a domestic row.  

The accused, widow Molly Katanga, who has since been charged with murder, is still getting medication at IHK in Kampala.  

Katanga’s death has attracted numerous controversies.

Charles Angiro Gutomoi

On July 8, former Erute legislator Charles Angiro Gutomoi died in a motor accident near Olwio on the road to Nebbi.
He died after the Toyota Noah van he was travelling in overturned, killing  four people on the spot.
He had earlier been involved in a similar accident in 2018, when he was travelling in a Toyota Noah from Lira to Kampala, which reportedly collided with a lorry.

Joyce Rovincer Mpanga

On Saturday, November 18, Uganda received the sad news of the death of  a great educationist and a former MP and minister, Joyce Rovincer Mpanga.

Mpanga was eulogised as a great personality, who contributed immensely in areas of women emancipation. 

The veteran politician also served in the pre-independence Legislative Council.

She was also a member of the Lukiiko (Buganda Kingdom parlaiment) since 2009.  Mpanga was the minister of Women in Development from 1988 to 1989 and the minister of State for Primary Education from 1989 to 1992. 
Outside of Cabinet, Mpanga was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2001 for Mubende District.