Alex Mukulu, veteran Ugandan playwright and theatre icon, dies at 72
Mukulu’s death marks the loss of one of the country’s notable theatre voices, whose work helped shape Uganda’s modern stage and its tradition of socially conscious drama.
Veteran Ugandan playwright, actor, filmmaker and theatre practitioner Alex Mukulu has died aged 72, leaving behind a career that spanned more than four decades.
Mukulu’s death was reported by Ugandan media outlets, including New Vision and CTV Uganda, on Saturday. Details surrounding his death, including the cause, had not been officially disclosed by press time.
Born in 1954 in Misebe, Ssingo County, Buganda, Mukulu studied film and drama at Makerere University after attending Kololo Secondary School.
He later emerged as one of Uganda’s leading theatre practitioners and a prominent voice in protest theatre. His productions tackled political change, social inequality, cultural identity and other issues affecting Ugandan society.
Among his best-known works were Wounds of Africa (1988), 30 Years of Bananas (1991), Excuse Me Mzungu (1992) and The Guest of Honour (1994).
His work also included Journey to Self-Realization, which was performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala in 2007.
Other productions associated with Mukulu include Muzukulu wa Kabangala, I Killed the Archbishop, A Good Muganda Case (2021) and The People’s President (2022).
After spending years away from the Ugandan stage, Mukulu returned in 2024 with Kulunkalu ne Kulumbisi, an African adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The play was staged at the National Theatre in Kampala and explored themes of social division, conflict and unity.
Mukulu was known for using theatre to question political and social realities while encouraging audiences to engage with difficult issues facing society.
Tributes began emerging from artists, journalists and cultural practitioners following news of his death, with many describing him as a principled and uncompromising figure who made a lasting contribution to Uganda’s performing arts.
Mukulu’s death marks the loss of one of the country’s notable theatre voices, whose work helped shape Uganda’s modern stage and its tradition of socially conscious drama.
Further information on funeral arrangements and official statements from his family and cultural institutions is expected to be released in the coming days.
