Tanzania is phasing out physical airtime scratch cards to promote digital payments and expand electronic recharge services. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) announced the plan in a public notice issued on 8 October 2026.

The transition follows public awareness campaigns launched on 1 October, with the initial phase scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027. The pilot will cover all districts in Dar es Salaam and selected districts in Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya. Authorities will announce a nationwide implementation date later.

Under the plan, subscribers will adopt digital recharge methods, including mobile applications, USSD codes, mobile money wallets, bank ATMs and authorised banking agents. Major operators affected include Vodacom Tanzania, Airtel Tanzania, Yas (formerly Tigo), Halotel and the state-owned Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL). The move is said to reduce the environmental impact of physical vouchers and support the country’s transition towards cashless (digital) financial services.

Uganda’s 2018 Airtime Scratch Card Ban Reversal
Uganda attempted a similar transition in 2018 when the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) announced plans to prohibit airtime scratch cards, setting 31 July 2018 as the deadline. Unlike Tanzania’s emphasis on digitalisation and environmental concerns, Uganda’s directive was driven largely by security concerns over unregistered SIM cards and their alleged links to criminal activities.

Lawmakers and the public strongly opposed the ban, prompting the government to reverse the decision on August 9, 2018. However, because MTN, Airtel, and Africell, Uganda’s top telecom operators at the time, had already stopped printing and distributing scratch cards ahead of the ban, the market shift was unstoppable. Electronic airtime purchases seamlessly took over as vendors sold out the remaining paper stock.

Kenya’s Digital Adoption Without Ban
Known for a robust cashless economy in the region, Kenya has never enacted a formal statutory ban on physical scratch cards from the government or the Communications Authority (CA). Instead, their phase-out happened organically.

The rapid, near-universal adoption of Safaricom’s M-Pesa ecosystem, alongside digital offerings from Airtel Kenya and Telkom Kenya, shifted most users to electronic top-ups. Airtime scratch cards remain legal and are still printed and sold at small kiosks to serve rural markets.

And now, the big question: Does Tanzania need a government-led phase-out to move from airtime scratch cards to digital recharges, or can its major telecoms and market demand drive the transition, as Kenya’s experience suggests?

24 September 2026: A sombre morning fell over Uganda over the death of legendary saxophonist and singer Moses Matovu, 77, who passed away at Kibuli Hospital early that day.

According to police, Afrigo band legend Moses Matovu succumbed to injuries following an early-morning attack at Kibuli Zone B, Makindye Division. Reports indicate that Moses was assaulted after dropping off Rose Tusiime at her residence at 5:30 am. While some sources link the incident to a suspected love triangle, insiders maintain that it was a routine drop-off of a “band member” at their home.

The attacker, who fled the scene, is believed to be Rose’s former partner. Witnesses describe the suspect as a taxi driver who allegedly assaulted Tumusiime first before turning his aggression toward Matovu. The attack occurred about 1 km from Matovu’s Kibuli residence.

Update: Later in the evening, Uganda police arrested and identified 41-year-old Nsamba Vincent as the prime suspect in connection with the murder of Moses Matovu.

As the investigation develops, here’s a brief overview of Moses Matovu and why his passing leaves such a profound void in Uganda.

Known among peers as Papa Moi, Moses Matovu Bukenya of Afrigo Band was born on Sunday, 19 June 1949, in Kawempe, Kampala. He was the son of Abdallah Bukenya bin Adam and Solome Nakitto.

Moses began his musical journey in 1953, at just 4 years old, singing in the Namirembe Cathedral Choir. However, before fully committing to music, he was a talented professional footballer who played for prominent teams like Nakivubo Boys, Express FC, and Police FC.

In 1967, he entered the professional music industry as a vocalist with the Thunderbirds Band. A year later, he and several other notable musicians migrated to the Police Band, where he received his first formal music training and mastered the saxophone and flute.

In 1969, Moses moved to the Katwe-based Cranes Band, where he further honed his skills as a singer, instrumentalist, and original songwriter. This was the same ensemble Philly Bongoley Lutaaya joined after returning from Zaire (now DR Congo) in 1973, before moving to Freddie Kanyike’s River Nile Band in 1974, which was pioneered by Alex Mukulu and Eddy Ganja.

Following internal disagreements and the eventual collapse of Cranes Band, Moses eventually teamed up with seven other original members from the splintering Cranes Band to officially co-found Afrigo Band on 31 August 1975. They made their official public debut and launch on 1 November 1975 at the Bat Valley Bar and Restaurant. Moses coined the name Afrigo as a play on the phrase “Africa Go Beyond”

Moses Matovu’s tragic demise leaves Jeff Sewava, Afrigo’s first bandleader, currently living in Germany, as the only surviving member of Afrigo Band’s original eight-member lineup.

In 1976, President Idi Amin, impressed by Afrigo Band’s music at Cape Villas (Jajja Villas) on Ggaba Road, contracted the band as his personal house band, with its members receiving a fixed monthly salary. After Amin was deposed in 1979, Afrigo Band was associated with his regime and, amid the ensuing looting, lost all its instruments, forcing the band to start over.

As the bandleader, saxophonist and lead vocalist, Moses Matovu steered Afrigo Band to become Uganda’s longest-running and most celebrated live musical group.

Under his visionary leadership, the band successfully adapted to changing entertainment eras, recorded 23 albums, and popularised a unique blend of African rumba, jazz, and traditional Ugandan rhythms.

Moses Matovu, who lived as a widower in his later years, is survived by 11 children, as he often shared, and by an undisclosed number of grandchildren.

According to family members, Moses Matovu, though Muslim, will be buried at 4:00 PM on Friday, 25 September 2025, at his ancestral home in Kyanja.

Apple Music appears to be experimenting with a new look.

A thicker, lowercase, and nostalgic “music” wordmark has appeared alongside branding for Apple Music Hall, Apple’s new live music venue at Battersea Power Station in London.

The new logo design has already sparked speculation that Apple could be preparing a broader visual refresh for Apple Music across the app, website and other platforms.

However, Apple has neither changed nor announced a wider Apple Music rebrand. For now, it remains unclear whether the new wordmark is exclusive to Apple Music Hall or will eventually replace the service’s existing branding.

What is Apple Music Hall?
Officially announced on 21 September 2026, Apple Music Hall is a brand-new, state-of-the-art live music venue and production facility designed to bring artists and fans closer together. The 600-capacity space features a 38-foot-wide reconfigurable stage and a 48-speaker Spatial Audio system positioned around the audience.

Built for live performances and production, the venue includes two dedicated recording and mixing studios, infrastructure for 16 or more cameras and a broadcast control room. This allows artists to record performances in Spatial Audio, produce broadcast-ready mixes and capture multicamera video from a single show. Performances can also be livestreamed globally.

Apple is opening the venue alongside new Apple Music Radio studios at Battersea Power Station, where London-based Apple Music Radio hosts and shows will now broadcast.

Is this Apple Music’s new logo?
That is the part Apple has not confirmed.

09 September 2026 – UBC TV news anchor and editor Prince Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi has been named the new Omukama of the Tooro Kingdom, following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on 27 August, 2026.

Msgr. Isiah Mayombo announced the succession on Wednesday evening, 9 September, at Karuziika Palace in the presence of the Babiito royal clan leaders, who oversee the selection of the Tooro monarch.

Led by Babiito royal clan head Omusuuga Charles Akiiki Kamurasi, a 21-member succession committee chose Prince Edward Kijanangoma after reviewing several potential heirs from the royal family.

The newly named King, Prince Edward, is the son of the late Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma and grandson of former Tooro King George David Rukidi III, who reigned 1904 – 1965.

His enthronement will follow the traditional customs and rituals of the Tooro Kingdom. Once crowned, he will take the regnal name selected by the Babiito clan leaders.

Meanwhile, some members of the Tooro royal family, including the late King’s sister Princess Nsemere Komuntale, backed by their paternal aunt Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya, have publicly refuted the announcement by the Babiito clan leaders.

The disagreement was thereafter reinforced through Tooro Kingdom’s official platforms, posting scanned copies of the late King Oyo’s 2022 will, under the caption: “Under the Will, his [King Oyo’s] son is designated as the first heir and successor to the throne. Should he be unable to assume the throne, succession passes in order to Prince Komwiswa Yoweri, followed by Prince Nyaika Solomon.”

11 Sept. 2026: Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi Wife & Children
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma exchanged vows to his Iteso bride, Rebecca Donna Amoding, in December 2018 at Watoto Church, Ntinda. While Rebecca’s professional background as a corporate human resources executive is well known, the couple has kept their personal life tightly under wraps, leaving details about their children and day-to-day life out of the public eye.

Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi in Rwanda
For about 8 years,  the Tooro prince, Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi, previously worked as a news anchor for Rwanda Television (RTV) under the Kinyarwanda-style pseudonym Eddie David Nkurunkenzire. Though rumoured to be a safety precaution, media analysts maintain the pseudonym was merely a standard professional requirement for Rwandan airwaves.

Edward Kijanangoma later returned to Uganda to join UBC in 2014, serving as a reporter, editor, talk show host, and main news anchor until the day he was named successor to the Tooro throne.

Updated on 12 Sept. 2026: New Omukama of Tooro Nyabongo I
During the funeral service for the late King Oyo at St. John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal, the Omusuuga publicly declared Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I as the new Omukama of Tooro. Highly placed sources confirmed that the new King, Nyabongo I, subsequently performed the sacred traditional ritual, dropping nine coffee beans into King Oyo’s grave to seal the succession.

Updated on 15 Sept. 2026: Nyabongo I Coronation Confirmed
On Wednesday, 15 September 2026, Omusuga Charles Kamurasi announced that the formal coronation of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I as the new King of Tooro will be held on 29 September 2026, after all cultural rites are completed.

The announcement followed a session of the Tooro Supreme Council at the kingdom’s Muchwa Parliament and headquarters, where members overwhelmingly endorsed Nyabongo I as the successor to the late King Oyo Nyimba Rukidi IV.

The name George Desmond Kamurasi has emerged as the reported choice to succeed the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV as the next Omukama of Tooro.

According to journalist Andrew Mwenda, the Royal Succession Committee, chaired by Omusuuga, Charles Kayondo Kamurasi Akiiki, selected the 36-year-old Kamurasi during a meeting held at Fort Motel in Fort Portal City on Friday, 04 September, 2026. Of the 21 members on the committee, 18 attended the meeting, and 15 reportedly voted in favour of Kamurasi.

The decision, however, has not yet been formally announced. The committee is expected to officially announce its choice to the Babiito royal clan leaders after the late king’s burial. King Oyo’s burial is scheduled for Saturday, 12 September 2026.

So, who is George Desmond Kamurasi?

George Desmond Kamurasi Royal Lineage
George Desmond Kamurasi is a member of the Babiito royal family of Tooro and the son of the late Prince George Desmond “Jimmy” Mugenyi.

Kamurasi’s claim to the Tooro throne comes through his father, Prince Jimmy Mugenyi, a son of former Tooro King Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, who reigned from 1928 to 1965.

Rukidi III was succeeded by his son, King Patrick David Matthew Rwamuhokya Olimi Kaboyo II, who reigned from 1965 to 1995. Prince Jimmy Mugenyi, one of the young brothers of Kaboyo II, passed away at 69 in September 2016 and was survived by four children: three boys and one girl.

Kaboyo II was succeeded by his son, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who reigned from 1995 until his death in 2026.

The family lineage can therefore be traced as follows:

King George Rukidi III → Prince Jimmy Mugenyi → George Desmond Kamurasi

King George Rukidi III → King Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II → King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

This makes Kamurasi and the late King Oyo first cousins, as their fathers, Prince Jimmy Mugenyi and King Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II, were brothers.

According to journalist Andrew Mwenda, King George Rukidi III left a will that placed Prince Jimmy Mugenyi second in the line of succession to his elder brother, King Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II. This succession arrangement is now being cited in connection with Kamurasi’s reported selection as Oyo’s successor.

George Desmond Kamurasi Personal Life, Residency & Career
Public records indicate that Kamurasi was born in August 1990, making him 36 in 2026. UK Companies House records list him as a British national residing in England. His professional profile as a football goalkeeper and coach narrows it down to London.

George Desmond Kamurasi: Wife and Children
While circulating photos appear to show George Desmond Kamurasi at his wedding to a British woman and spending time with a young girl believed to be his daughter, few details about his immediate family have been officially verified.

George Desmond Kamurasi and his younger brothers and sister are currently in Uganda ahead of their cousin’s burial on Saturday, 12 September 2026.

Writing to all its users in Uganda and Nigeria, Uber, an American multinational transportation company, has announced that it will wind down its ride-hailing operations in both countries, effective today, 2 September 2026.

In emails sent to riders and customers in each country, under the bold headings “Uber will be leaving Uganda today” and “Uber will be leaving Nigeria today,” the company said the decision followed a “thorough review” of its business.

Uber launched its ride-hailing services, including car and boda rides, as well as courier services, in Kampala, Uganda, in 2016, while its operations in Nigeria began in Lagos in 2014. In both emails, Uber thanked users for choosing its platform over the years, adding it had been a privilege to connect them with independent transportation providers.

“Uber will be leaving Uganda today. We are writing to share some difficult news. After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Uganda, effective 2 September 2026. Since we first launched in Kampala in 2016, it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of your daily life connecting you with independent transportation providers.”

The emails did not explain the exits, but they come as Uber reshapes its business priorities, focusing investment on markets with greater growth potential while cutting about 3,300 jobs globally and investing heavily in driverless technology and robotaxis.

For Ugandan riders, however, Uber’s exit does not mean the end of app-based ride-hailing. SafeBoda, which has operated in Uganda since 2015, remains in the market with its motorcycle (Boda Boda) ride service and SafeCar, its car-hailing service.

Tuesday 01 September, 2026 – Following regulatory and operating license approval on Friday, 15 May 2026, Starlink has officially launched its satellite internet service in Uganda.

“Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Uganda! ”

The announcement was made on Starlink’s official X account, accompanied by a link to the updated Starlink availability map, which highlights Uganda in blue as one of its active service areas.

With the launch, Uganda is now part of Starlink’s global coverage network, allowing users across Uganda to legally order Starlink hardware kits, activate Starlink subscriptions, and access customer support through the Starlink Uganda portal, starlink.com/ug, in addition to the global starlink.com.

The launch also opens doors for international travellers coming to Uganda with active Starlink Roam plans to continue using the service “legally” while in the country.

Starlink Prices in Uganda?

Monthly Subscriptions
According to the Starlink Uganda portal, monthly subscriptions start at UGX 203,704 for the Residential (Lite) package, limited to 100 Mbps. Above that, the Residential package will go for UGX 285,185 per month for 400+ Mbps. These prices don’t include a hardware kit and installation.

Starlink Hardware Kits in Uganda
There are two options here: the Standard hardware kit and the Mini.

Buying the Standard Starlink hardware kit costs UGX 1,743,778, plus a regulatory fee of UGX 437,036, and shipping & handling of UGX 115,741. This brings the one-time cost of the Standard hardware kit to roughly UGX 2,300,000, excluding the monthly subscription.

The Mini Starlink hardware kit costs UGX 1,306,741, plus a regulatory fee of UGX 437,036, and shipping & handling of UGX 115,741. This brings the one-time cost of the Mini hardware kit to roughly UGX 1,860,000, excluding the monthly subscription.

Additional Starlink hardware kits, Mini Wall Mount, Mini Pivot Mount and Router Mini, which are optional, go for UGX 231,481, 289,33, and 231,481, respectively.

Can I dodge the hefty regulatory fee (tax) of UGX 437,036 by having my people in the diaspora buy the Starlink hardware for me? Well, according to the December 2025 decree, importing your own Starlink kit into Uganda requires approval from the CDF.

Starlink Customer Support in Uganda
So far, there is only one way to reach Starlink customer support in Uganda: fill out a contact form on the Starlink Website, and they’ll get back to you by email or phone call.

What to Expect as Starlink Launches in Uganda
With Starlink’s entry, Uganda joins a growing list of African countries, including Burundi, South Sudan, Kenya and Rwanda, embracing low-Earth orbit satellite internet. Here’s what to expect:

Faster and more reliable internet in rural and underserved areas where fibre and mobile networks remain inconsistent.

More competition for existing internet service providers, particularly in hard-to-reach regions such as Mount Elgon, Fort Portal, Kasese, and Kalangala, where connectivity challenges remain common.

A new option for health and academic institutions, businesses, and individuals who heavily rely on stable connectivity for work, study, or managing large data and storage systems.

Starlink’s entry may also accelerate price competition in Uganda’s fibre internet market, where consumers have long complained about inconsistent speeds and frequent outages.

“Many African leaders thought Elon Musk was their best inroad into the Trump Administration… There was a mad rush for every President in Africa to authorise Starlink to operate in their countries, thinking that once you make Musk happy, you’re inside the White House.” – Robert Kabushenga on The Bad Natives Podcast

A mandatory National Cleaning Day exercise turned fatal in Kanaaba Ndejje, Wakiso District, on Saturday morning after a police officer shot dead a 38-year-old boda boda rider who allegedly tried to ride through a secured area.

The incident occurred at about 7:00 am on 29 August 2026, as police officers from Ndejje Police Station were deployed to provide security during the second National Cleaning Day exercise.

According to the Uganda Police Force, the rider, identified through his National Identification Card as Kizito Ronald Jjuuko (38), was riding his motorcycle when he allegedly attempted to force his way through an area that had been secured for the exercise.

It was during the confrontation, police said, that Police Constable Allan Okello, attached to Ndejje Police Station, allegedly opened fire, killing Jjuuko on the spot. Police later corrected the prime suspect’s name to Police constable Allan Ogwal.

Locals, however, report Jjuuko was shot at around 6:50 am, minutes before the nationwide movement restrictions were due to take effect at 7 am. They add that Jjuuko, their friendly neighbour and a family man of five (5) children, was returning from a routine night shift in Zana to his residence in Kanaaba when the police officer shot him dead.

In its statement, Police confirmed that Okello was subsequently arrested and that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the shooting had commenced.

The fatal shooting has since stirred criticism online, with some questioning whether attempts to enforce movement restrictions during a national cleaning exercise justified the use of lethal force.

Distancing the institution from the use of unlawful force that claimed Jjuuko’s life, the Uganda Police Force has expressed condolences to Jjuuko’s family, relatives and friends as investigations into the shooting continue.

The Kingdom of Tooro, through its Prime Minister (Omuhikirwa) Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, has officially announced the passing of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the Omukama of Tooro, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, 27 August 2026.

The confirmation came hours after the Tooro Kingdom announced that its 34-year-old King Oyo was in critical condition, following earlier unconfirmed reports of his death.

His passing has brought to an end a nearly 31-year reign that began when he was just three (3) years old.

Born on 16 April 1992 in Fort Portal, Uganda, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV ascended the Tooro throne in 1995 following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. He initially reigned under the guidance of regents and elders before being formally crowned as King Oyo in 2010, when he turned 18.

Nymy Net joins the Tooro Kingdom, its royal family, and the general public in mourning the passing of His Majesty King Oyo. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May his soul rest in peace.

Unconfirmed reports are circulating on social media claiming that His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the King of Tooro, has died.

The reports began making the rounds on Thursday evening, 27 August 2026, with posts shared by journalists, including Nation Media’s Sudhir Byaruhnga, and politicians such as Kasambya County MP David Kabanda. Some social media users also claimed that King Oyo had been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) while battling cancer. The claims have since spread across several social media platforms.

However, Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara has dismissed the reports, writing that “…the King of Tooro is still unwell and remains under medical management” in the United States.

At 6 pm the same evening, Tooro Kingdom confirmed on X that“King Oyo is currently in a critical condition,” while urging the public to pray for him. The Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, also issued a similar statement.

Earlier this month, the Tooro Kingdom dismissed similar reports about King Oyo’s health, clarifying that the Omukama, in good health, was abroad for official engagements and further studies, and not for medical treatment as speculated.

Who is King Oyo?
Born on 16 April 1992 in Fort Portal, Uganda, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV ascended the Tooro throne at the age of three (3) in 1995, following his father’s death. He was formally crowned King Oyo in 2010, when he turned 18.

Raised under the guidance of the Tooro Kingdom’s regents and elders, King Oyo combined his royal responsibilities with formal education, attending schools in Uganda before pursuing further studies abroad.

Over the years, he has focused on the modernisation and development of the kingdom, with interests spanning education, healthcare, tourism and the preservation of Tooro’s cultural heritage. He has continued to undertake official engagements while balancing traditional responsibilities with a more contemporary approach to leadership.

King Oyo, now 34, is not married and has no children of his own. In September 2025, the Queen Mother publicly appealed to him to marry and bring an Omugo (queen consort) into the kingdom.

#UPDATE
On the same day, 27 August 2026, at 11:02 p.m., Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, the Prime Minister of the Tooro Kingdom, confirmed the death of King Oyo of Tooro.

A family home in Kalungu Zone, Bunga, in Makindye Division, Kampala, was turned into a crime scene early Thursday morning after a 43-year-old Kenyan woman allegedly attacked her five daughters with a knife, killing two and injuring three others.

The woman, identified by police as Dorothy Namayo, was also found injured at the residence and taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where she remains under police guard. Police are investigating the incident as murder, attempted murder and arson.

According to the maid
The incident reportedly followed a domestic dispute between Namayo and her husband, Ederisa Troy, a Malian national, on Wednesday. The couple have been residing in Uganda for about 15 years. According to Mariam Saana, household maid, Troy returned home at around 3 pm and found a water tap left running, which reportedly sparked a heated exchange between the couple before he left the house.

The maid also told investigators that the couple had been experiencing frequent disputes for the past three months, which she believed were linked to the husband’s relationship with another woman.

At 4 am while the housemaid was asleep, she was awakened by the sound of the children crying and calling for help from the main house.

At the same time, a Toyota HiAce parked in the compound was on fire.

The maid reportedly rushed to investigate and found that the children had severe stab wounds, with all the doors and the main gate locked by the prime suspect. She immediately raised the alarm, prompting neighbours to force their way into the house and intervene as emergency responders were called.

Two Children Died
14-year-old Khadija Daizy was found dead in her bedroom after sustaining fatal injuries to her neck.

Her 7-year-old sister, Hawa Dalena, was still alive when rescuers took her to Nsambya Hospital, but she later succumbed to her injuries.

The bodies of the two children were taken to Mulago City Mortuary for postmortem examinations.

Three Injured Children
Their three surviving siblings, identified by the maid as Dema, Danita and Delany, were also injured in the attack and taken to hospital for treatment. The ages are 13, 8 and 5, although the order of the names and ages has not been confirmed.

Mother Found Injured
Their mother, Dorothy Namayo, was found at the residence, locked in her bedroom with injuries believed to have been self-inflicted.

Investigators also recovered a jerrycan suspected to have contained petrol and collected other exhibits from the compound for forensic examination.

Reports have linked the incident to domestic violence, citing the housemaid’s account of the couple’s verbal fights.

Witnesses told investigators that they called the husband using one of the daughter’s phones, and he reportedly said Namayo had called him, threatening to kill the children and herself. This, however, has not yet been verified.

Investigators are expected to establish what happened between Namayo and her husband before he left the home and what happened afterwards.

Veteran Ugandan playwright, actor, musician, instrumentalist, and author Alex Edward Mukulu Nsubuga Kigonya has died at the age of 72, with news of his death emerging on Saturday afternoon, 15 August 2026, and confirmed by the New Vision.

Renowned among the younger generation as the “Sikulaba eKampala” judge on BBS’ Yolesa Ekitone Talent Show, and for bringing the “Muwunya Boys” to public attention, Alex Mukulu was born in 1954 in Misebe, Mityana in Ssingo County, to Paulo Kayizi Lugaizi and Victoria Ndagire.

Fresh out of school at Kololo Secondary School, Alex Mukulu, a guitarist and saxophonist who had learnt to play guitar during his S4 vacation under the tutelage of Eddy Ganja, was among the pioneers of Freddie Kanyike’s second band, River Nile Band, situated on Kimathi Avenue, in 1974, alongside Eddy Ganja, Philly Bongoley Lutaaya, Ssebulime Fred, John Kiwanuka, and Shem Makanga.

In 1977, following the collapse of the River Nile Band, Alex Mukulu immediately launched his theatrical career by producing his first play, Muzukulu wa Kabangala. The following year, in 1978, he enrolled at Makerere University to study Music, Dance, and Drama (MDD) while concurrently pursuing his passion for theatre.

Alex Mukulu went on to write and stage more than 30 plays, including acclaimed works such as 30 Years of Bananas and Wounds of Africa. His theatrical work achieved significant international reach, notably in September 1994 when he led his troupe, Impact International, on a U.S. tour to perform his political drama The Guest of Honour at prominent venues such as the Dance Place in Washington, D.C. in the United States.

His global impact was further highlighted when his production Journey to Self-Realization was performed for world leaders at the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala.

After a long 17-year break from Uganda’s theatre scene, Mukulu returned in 2024 with Kulumbisi Ne Kulunkalu, an African adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The production was staged at the Uganda National Theatre in Kampala.

Mukulu leaves behind a decades-long contribution to Ugandan theatre, music, storytelling and the wider creative arts.