Former Busiro South Member of Parliament Charles Matovu has died at the age of 41 following a sudden illness.
Matovu, a National Unity Platform (NUP) figure died on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala after being transferred from Lubaga Hospital where he had been admitted.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya confirmed the death saying Matovu developed a sudden health complication on Monday evening.
Rubongoya visited him at Lubaga Hospital on Thursday morning and found him unable to speak or open his eyes. Matovu was later transferred to Mulago where he died. The exact cause of death had not been publicly disclosed by Thursday evening.
NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine described the news as shocking and mourned Matovu as a brother, comrade and fellow leader who represented Busiro South in the 11th Parliament.
Kyagulanyi also disputed the circumstances surrounding Matovu’s defeat in the January 2026 elections saying his victory had been taken “at gunpoint.”
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and other NUP officials also mourned the former legislator.
Matovu, born on April 1, 1985, was an electrical engineer by profession. He won the Busiro South seat in the 2021 general elections on the NUP ticket with 35,391 votes and served throughout the 11th Parliament.
However, he lost the constituency in the January 15, 2026 elections to National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Kenan Opio.
Court documents cited vote totals of approximately 36,497 for Opio and 30,487 for Matovu.
Disputing the outcome, Matovu petitioned the High Court in Entebbe, alleging electoral irregularities, problems with Declaration of Results forms and non-compliance with electoral laws. He asked the court to overturn Opio’s election.
In September, the court dismissed Matovu’s application seeking access to additional electoral materials, ruling that his request lacked sufficient specificity.
Hearings in the main election petition reportedly began around October 16, just days before his death.
Matovu died while the case was still ongoing, leaving his legal challenge over the Busiro South seat unresolved.
His death has drawn condolences from party colleagues and supporters, who have remembered his parliamentary service and his efforts to challenge the election outcome.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated by the family.
