President Yoweri Museveni has granted veteran Ugandan playwright, actor, director and cultural icon Alex Edward Kabangala Mukulu an official burial, recognising his immense contribution to Uganda’s performing arts and cultural heritage.
The announcement was made by Minister for the Presidency Milly Babalanda, who said the government had begun working with Mukulu’s family to organise a befitting send-off for the celebrated theatre personality.
Mukulu, who died on August 15, 2026, aged 72, is expected to be laid to rest on Thursday (tomorrow), August 20, at Kijabijjo in Gayaza. The official burial will bring together government officials, family members, artists, cultural leaders and members of the public to honour a man whose career spanned more than four decades.
Museveni honours theatre icon
Announcing the decision, Babalanda said President Museveni had personally approved the official burial as a recognition of Mukulu’s contribution to Uganda.
“Dear friends, I wish to inform you that the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Gen. @KagutaMuseveni, has granted an official burial to the fallen statesman, Mr. Alex Edward Kabangala Mukulu,” Babalanda said.
She added that the National Organising Committee was already engaging Mukulu’s relatives to ensure that the final farewell reflects his stature and contribution to the country.
“Accordingly, the N.O.C is engaging with the bereaved family to organise a befitting send-off on August 20, 2026, in Kijabijjo, Gayaza,” she said.
Babalanda also extended condolences to Mukulu’s family, friends, colleagues in the performing arts industry and Ugandans at large. “May the soul of Alex Mukulu rest in eternal peace,” she said. The decision gives Mukulu a government-backed send-off and places his death among those of prominent Ugandans whose national contribution has been formally recognised.
A giant of Ugandan theatre
Mukulu was not simply an actor or playwright. He was one of the personalities who helped shape modern Ugandan theatre, using drama, satire, music and storytelling to interrogate the country’s political, social and cultural experiences.
His career stretched for more than 40 years, during which he produced numerous plays that entertained audiences while also forcing them to reflect on Uganda’s past and present.
Among his best-known works were Muzukulu wa Kabangala, 30 Years of Bananas, Wounds of Africa, The Guest of Honour, Excuse Me Mzungu and Journey to Self-Realisation.His work addressed subjects ranging from politics and history to culture, religion, poverty and social change.
His 1992 production 30 Years of Bananasbecame particularly significant because it used humour and satire to examine Uganda’s political journey since independence. The work subsequently became one of the memorable productions in Uganda’s theatre history.
Mukulu’s contribution also extended beyond the theatre stage. He was recognised as a cultural ambassador whose productions helped present Ugandan stories to audiences beyond the country’s borders.
Taking Ugandan stories to the world
One of Mukulu’s most notable achievements came in 2007 when Journey to Self-Realisationwas performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala.
The production gave Ugandan theatre a major international platform at an event that brought together Commonwealth leaders and dignitaries from across the world.
For Mukulu, theatre was therefore not merely entertainment. It was a vehicle for communicating Uganda’s history, values, struggles and aspirations.
His works frequently confronted difficult subjects through comedy and satire, allowing audiences to engage with political and social questions in a manner that was accessible but thought-provoking.
Ugandan theatre has long served as an important avenue for social commentary, and Mukulu became one of its most recognisable practitioners.
Mentor to generations of artists
Beyond the plays he wrote and directed, Mukulu is also remembered for his influence on younger performers and creatives.
Colleagues have described him as a mentor who helped nurture Uganda’s theatre industry and opened opportunities for younger artists.
His death on August 15 triggered an outpouring of tributes from across the creative sector, with artists, cultural leaders and public figures remembering his contribution to the development of Ugandan drama.
His influence was particularly significant at a time when theatre was one of the country’s most important forms of popular entertainment and social commentary.
Mukulu belonged to a generation of performers who helped establish theatre as a serious platform for storytelling, political reflection and cultural preservation.
A career built around Uganda
Mukulu’s body of work reflected Uganda itself. From political satire to social criticism, his plays explored the contradictions, triumphs and challenges of Ugandan society. His theatre often blended humour with serious messages, enabling audiences to laugh while confronting uncomfortable realities.
His contribution is also documented in scholarship on Ugandan theatre. He is recognised as one of the country’s notable playwrights, with his work forming part of the wider development of Ugandan drama in English and local cultural traditions.
His career therefore went beyond individual productions. It helped preserve aspects of Uganda’s cultural identity at a time when the country’s creative sector was undergoing significant transformation.
Final curtain falls
Mukulu’s death has left a significant gap in Uganda’s performing arts community. For an industry that has lost several of its pioneering figures over the years, his passing represents the end of another important chapter in the history of Ugandan theatre.
But the official burial granted by President Museveni is expected to provide an opportunity for the country to celebrate rather than simply mourn his life.
The August 20 ceremony at Kijabijjo, Gayaza, will bring together the people who knew Mukulu personally and professionally, as well as Ugandans who encountered his work through theatre, film, music and cultural performances.
The government’s decision is also a recognition that the arts form an important part of national development and identity.
For decades, Mukulu used the stage to tell Uganda’s stories. His plays captured moments of national history, challenged audiences to think and gave generations of Ugandans a mirror through which to view themselves.
As Uganda prepares to lay him to rest, his legacy will remain on the stage, in the scripts he left behind and among the artists he inspired.
The official send-off will therefore be more than a funeral. It will be a national tribute to a cultural figure who devoted much of his life to telling Uganda’s story.
Mukulu may have taken his final bow, but his work and influence are expected to remain part of Uganda’s cultural memory for generations to come.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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