Hospital Denies Reports That Ugandan Opposition MP Hellen Nakimuli Died at Its Facility, Says She Passed Away Elsewhere

Hellen Nakimuli, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kalangala District, has died following unsuccessful surgical procedure, sparking confusion over the circumstances and location of her death after conflicting reports emerged from media outlets and hospital authorities.

In a statement issued by Mulago National Referral Hospital, the facility distanced itself from claims that the opposition legislator died within its premises.

“The Woman Member of Parliament for Kalangala did not pass on at Mulago National Referral Hospital as alluded to by NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor,” the hospital said.

The hospital clarified that the legislator had initially undergone surgery at a private facility before they received her body or a postmortem.

“Hon. Nakimuli Hellen died at Alexandro Medical Center, where she had gone for a surgery, and was transferred to Mulago Referral mortuary for a postmortem. Kindly disregard this information since it is misleading.”

Earlier reports of her death triggered an outpouring of grief across Uganda’s political divide, with opposition figures and parliamentary leaders expressing shock at the sudden loss of a relatively young and active legislator.

Bobi Wine, leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), was among the first to publicly react to the reports.

“Terrible, shocking news! Hon. Hellen Nakimuli, Woman MP, Kalangala District, just passed on after an unsuccessful surgery! May God strengthen all of us in this very tough time,” Bobi Wine said.

Confusion Over Circumstances of Death

Details emerging indicate that Nakimuli, aged 41, died on Sunday, April 19, 2026, during a surgical procedure at Alexandra Medical Centre in Kitante, Kampala.

The exact nature of the surgery had not been disclosed at the time of reporting.

Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, revealed that he had been in direct communication with the legislator shortly before her death.

“At the time, she was literally driving herself to the hospital for a surgery, which she indicated was not major. Unfortunately, she has not made it out of the theatre. She has died during the procedure,” he said.

Nakimuli had been actively engaged in parliamentary duties up until her final hours, including coordinating a meeting of opposition MPs scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026, in her role as shadow information minister.

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Parliament Pays Tribute

Uganda’s Parliament paid tribute to the late legislator, led by Speaker Anita Annet Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

“Honourable colleagues, it is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of our esteemed colleague, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kalangala and Shadow Minister for Information, Hon. Helen Nakimuli,” Among said.

She added: “Words are insufficient to convey the shock we are experiencing at this moment, and we pray that the Lord Almighty sustains her family, friends, and all of us during this challenging time.”

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Deputy Speaker Tayebwa echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the emotional toll on lawmakers.

“Nothing hits the August House harder than losing a colleague. We shall greatly miss you, my dear sister Helen Nakimuli, WMP Kalangala,” he said.

Nakimuli, who had been re-elected in the January 15, 2026, general election, was widely known for her energetic personality and active participation in both politics and sports.

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