The sudden death of former Busiro South Member of Parliament Charles Matovu has plunged the National Unity Platform (NUP) into mourning while raising questions over the circumstances surrounding the illness that claimed his life.
Matovu, 41, died on Thursday, October 22, at Mulago National Referral Hospital after developing what his family and party officials described as an abrupt health complication earlier in the week.
Although no medical authority has attributed his death to foul play, NUP officials and some of Matovu’s associates have refused to rule out the possibility, pointing to the unexplained speed of his deterioration and the political circumstances surrounding his death.
The former MP was at the time pursuing an election petition challenging the victory of National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Kenan Opio in the January 2026 parliamentary election for Busiro South.
His death therefore came at a particularly sensitive moment, with the election dispute still before the High Court.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya said he visited Matovu at Lubaga Hospital on Thursday morning and found him in critical condition.
“This morning at Lubaga Hospital, I checked on Hon. Charles Matovu who was critically sick. His family informed us that he got an abrupt health challenge on Monday night,” Rubongoya said.
“When I saw him today, he couldn’t speak or open his eyes although he was still alive but struggling to wake up. From Lubaga, he was transferred to Mulago Hospital for further investigations. Most unfortunately, he passed on a short while ago. It is VERY SHOCKING.”
Rubongoya’s account has become central to questions about the circumstances of Matovu’s death because, according to the family, there had been no known prolonged illness before the sudden health crisis.
At present, however, there is no publicly released medical report, post-mortem finding or statement from the hospital establishing what caused his death. That distinction is important.
While the circumstances have generated suspicion, there is currently no confirmed evidence that Matovu was poisoned, assaulted or deliberately killed.
‘He died suddenly and was not sick’
Rubongoya later summed up the party’s concern in a brief statement: “He died suddenly and he was not sick.”
For a political party that has repeatedly complained about abductions, torture and violence against its supporters, Matovu’s death has inevitably attracted heightened scrutiny.
NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, described Matovu as a brother, comrade and fellow leader whose electoral victory had allegedly been taken from him through violence.
“Just received very disturbing news concerning the abrupt passing of our brother, comrade and fellow leader, Hon. Charles Matovu, who served as Member of Parliament for Busiro South in the last Parliamentary term and had his victory robbed on gunpoint in the January election. Very shocking news!” Kyagulanyi said.
The reference to the election is significant because Matovu had not abandoned his political battle. Instead, he had taken his challenge to court, seeking to overturn Opio’s victory.
His lawyer, Samuel Muyizzi, said the legal team had been optimistic about the case and believed Matovu had prevailed on many of the issues in contention.
Muyizzi said they were disappointed that the case had effectively come to an end following Matovu’s death.
Election dispute hangs over death
The January election in Busiro South remains an important part of the story. According to Matovu’s supporters, the former MP had raised complaints about alleged irregularities in the election and was determined to use the courts to seek redress.
NUP lawyer George Musisi recalled that on January 16, while at the Wakiso District tally centre, Matovu sought his assistance in drafting a complaint to the Electoral Commission.
Musisi said the complaint concerned more than 90 ballot boxes from Katabi Town Council which he alleged had been tampered with during the election.
“Sad that he has gone before getting justice for the people of Busiro South who had entrusted him with a fresh mandate,” Musisi said.
The allegations remain contested and should not be treated as established facts unless upheld by a competent court or supported by official electoral findings.
But they illustrate why Matovu’s death has become intertwined with the unresolved election dispute.
‘Is this the democracy NRM talks about?’
The political temperature rose further after messages circulated questioning whether Matovu could have been targeted because of his political activities and legal challenge.
One post questioning his death asked whether Uganda had reached a point where an opposition candidate who seeks justice in court could be abducted, tortured or killed.
The claims have not been substantiated. Nevertheless, they reflect a broader anxiety within opposition circles over the treatment of political opponents.
The NUP has previously accused security agencies and government supporters of abducting, detaining and torturing its members. Government and security authorities have repeatedly rejected accusations of systematic wrongdoing and have maintained that individuals suspected of crimes should face lawful investigations and prosecution.
In Matovu’s case, however, the most pressing question remains unanswered: what exactly caused his sudden illness and death?
Until medical authorities release findings, any conclusion about foul play remains speculation.
A sudden decline
Accounts from his final days describe a dramatic deterioration. According to his family, Matovu developed a health complication on Monday night. By Thursday morning, he was reportedly unable to speak or open his eyes.
He was initially receiving treatment at Lubaga Hospital before being transferred to Mulago for further investigations. He died shortly afterwards. The speed of the deterioration has understandably unsettled his colleagues.
Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP parliamentary leader, said Matovu had been trying to reclaim his “stolen victory” through the courts and died after a medical challenge that developed abruptly during the week. “We shall avail more details about this very sad incident in due course,” Ssenyonyi said.
That promise has increased expectations that the party and family will provide more information once they receive medical findings.
A politician beyond politics
Beyond the election dispute, Matovu was remembered by colleagues as a soft-spoken politician, engineer and gifted footballer. His former parliamentary colleagues recalled his participation in East African parliamentary football tournaments in South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
Moses Hassim Magogo, the Budiope East MP and FUFA president, described Matovu as one of his closest friends.
Magogo recalled playing alongside him in the Parliamentary Football Club midfield, saying their friendship began in the 11th Parliament and continued until his death.
“I must accept 2026 has been my toughest year in all my life,” Magogo said in a tribute.
NRM legislator Daudi Kabanda also mourned Matovu, recalling that they joined Parliament together, played football together and shared university experiences. “He was a quiet and humble gentleman,” Kabanda said.
Amos Kankunda similarly described Matovu as one of the most skillful players he had played alongside, recalling their participation in East African parliamentary football tournaments.
These tributes demonstrate that Matovu’s political identity crossed party lines, even as his final months were dominated by a bitter electoral contest.
Calls for answers
For now, Matovu’s death presents more questions than answers. There is no publicly confirmed evidence of foul play, and it would be premature to conclude that he was deliberately killed.
But the abrupt onset of illness, his rapid deterioration, his transfer between two major hospitals and his death while pursuing a politically sensitive election petition have created circumstances that demand transparency.
The family, NUP and the public are likely to await medical and, if conducted, post-mortem findings. If there was a natural medical cause, a clear explanation would help dispel speculation.
If the findings reveal anything suspicious, authorities would face an even greater responsibility to investigate independently and establish what happened.
For a politician who had gone to court seeking an answer over an election he believed was stolen, his death has now created another unanswered question.
What killed Charles Matovu?
Until that question is answered by medical evidence rather than political speculation, the circumstances of his death will continue to fuel unease within the opposition and among those who knew him.
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]
Latest entries
FeaturedOctober 23, 2026BILL TO CHANGE ELECTION OF OPPOSITION LEADER GAZETTED: Buyaga West MP Dennis Namara’s Bill Seeks To Give All Opposition Mps A Vote In Choosing The Leader Of The Opposition, Raising Fears Of Ruling-Party Interference
FeaturedOctober 23, 2026MATOVU’S MYSTERY DEATH: NUP Raises Questions Over Sudden Death Of Former Busiro South MP As He Battled In Court To Overturn Kenan Opio’s Disputed Election Victory
FeaturedOctober 23, 2026OFWONO OPONDO: WE MUST STOP PRESIDING OVER IMPUNITY: The veteran NRM voice Challenges His Own Government To Explain Alleged Abductions, Torture And Secret Detention Of Citizens, Warning That The Ruling Party Must Not Shield Security Agencies From Accountability
CrimeOctober 22, 2026MUFTI SUMMONED OVER SHS1.2BN GOLD SCAM: Kampala City Hall Court Has Summoned Deputy Mufti, Muhammad Haruna Bukenya, And Businessman Elias Muzamiru Lubega Over Allegations Of Obtaining $288,000 From Muhammad Kwaido In A Deal Involving Three Kilogrammes Of Gold
