OBITUARY: Alex Mukulu’s legacy defined Ugandan theatre

What the report says

The Independent Uganda published an obituary and commentary on the death of Ugandan playwright and performer Alex Edward Mukulu Kabangala, describing him as one of the key figures in the country’s theatre history. The piece places his passing alongside earlier giants of Ugandan stage and links it to the loss of a wider artistic tradition. It also notes that Mukulu had continued working into recent years, including a 2024 staging of Kulunkalu ne Kulumbisi at the National Theatre in Kampala, a Luganda adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

According to the article, Mukulu’s career stretched back to the 1960s and grew into a body of work known for political and social commentary. The writer highlights his songs and plays as vehicles for criticism of corruption, poverty, injustice, tribalism and religious division. Among the best-known works cited is 30 Years of Bananas, which the article says used allegory to examine post-independence decline and governance failures in Uganda.

The article also recalls some of Mukulu’s major public recognitions, including his presentation at the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening ceremony and a 2012 Independence Medal for cultural contribution. It further notes his role as a judge on the television talent show Yolesa Ekitone, where his blunt style made him a familiar public figure. More broadly, the obituary presents Mukulu as an influential, disciplined artist whose legacy helped define protest theatre in Uganda.