Kampala — Uganda’s theatre and arts community is in mourning following the death of veteran playwright, actor, director and author Alex Mukulu, who passed away on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the age of 72.

Mukulu, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern Ugandan theatre, died after a period of illness. Reports indicate he passed on at Kiruddu Hospital. News of his death triggered an outpouring of tributes from fellow artists, media personalities, and members of the public who celebrated his decades-long contribution to the country’s cultural landscape.

Born in 1954 in Misebe, Ssingo County in Buganda, to Paulo Kayizi Lugaizi and Victoria Ndagire, Mukulu developed a passion for the performing arts early in life. After attending Kololo Secondary School, he studied Film and Drama (also referred to as Music, Dance and Drama) at Makerere University. He began his theatrical career in the late 1970s, staging his first major play, Muzukulu wa Kabangala, in 1977.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, Mukulu wrote, directed and performed in more than 30 plays. His most celebrated works include the political satire 30 Years of Bananas (first staged in 1992 to mark Uganda’s 30th independence anniversary and later published by Oxford University Press), Wounds of Africa, and Guest of Honour. These productions used humour, symbolism and sharp social commentary to examine Uganda’s politics, history and everyday struggles.

In 2007, his production Journey to Self-Realization was performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala. After a long absence from the Ugandan stage, Mukulu returned in 2024 with Kulunkalu ne Kulumbisi, an African adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, staged at the National Theatre.

Beyond the stage, Mukulu became familiar to a wider television audience as a stern and uncompromising judge on the talent search programme Yolesa Ekitone (also known as Yolese Ekitone) on Bukedde TV / BBS, where his high standards and direct critiques left a lasting impression on aspiring performers.

Colleagues and admirers have described him as a perfectionist who demanded excellence and used theatre as a platform to provoke thought and hold a mirror to society. Preparations for his funeral are underway, with a vigil scheduled at the National Theatre on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to allow the arts community and the public to pay their respects.

Mukulu’s death marks the end of an era for Ugandan theatre. He leaves behind a rich legacy of plays, performances and mentorship that shaped generations of artists and enriched the nation’s cultural heritage.

Funeral arrangements will be communicated by the family in due course.