On Thursday morning, October 22, 2026, National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya visited former Busiro South MP Charles Matovu at Lubaga Hospital, where he was critically ill.
According to Rubongoya, Matovu’s family said his illness had started suddenly on Monday night. By the time Rubongoya arrived, Matovu could neither speak nor open his eyes.
He was later transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he died that evening. He was 41.
The news shocked NUP members and opposition leaders, many of whom had worked alongside Matovu during the 11th Parliament.
NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, described the death as “very disturbing” and “very shocking,” referring to Matovu as a brother, comrade and fellow leader.
Kyagulanyi also recalled Matovu’s service as Busiro South MP and disputed the circumstances surrounding the loss of his parliamentary seat in the January 2026 elections.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and other party figures also mourned the former legislator. The exact cause of his death had not been publicly disclosed by the time of reporting.
Born on April 1, 1985, Matovu was an electrical engineer by training. He represented Busiro South in Wakiso District on the NUP ticket from 2021 to 2026.
In the 2021 general elections, Matovu won the constituency with 35,391 votes. Independent candidate Paul Owor received 16,418 votes, while the incumbent, Peter Sematimba of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), polled 12,842.
The result reflected NUP’s strong performance in the Kampala metropolitan area and surrounding districts during that election. However, the January 15, 2026 elections produced a different outcome. NRM candidate Kenan Opio was declared the winner of Busiro South.
Figures cited in court documents put Opio’s votes at approximately 36,497 against Matovu’s 30,487, giving Opio a lead of about 6,000 votes.
Matovu challenged the result, alleging electoral irregularities, problems with Declaration of Results forms and interference with the electoral process. He subsequently filed a petition in the High Court at Entebbe seeking to overturn Opio’s election.
In September, the court dismissed an application in which Matovu had sought access to various electoral materials, including ballot accountability forms, scanner reports, official report books and certified Declaration of Results forms from several polling stations. Justice Johnson Karemani ruled that the request had not been sufficiently specific.
The main election petition continued, with hearings reportedly beginning around October 16, just days before Matovu’s death.
The legal challenge had become one of the major issues in Matovu’s final months. He had maintained that he would pursue the matter in court rather than accept the election outcome.
His political troubles had also extended into the campaign period. In December 2025, Matovu and nearly 20 members of his campaign team were reportedly attacked in Busiro South.
NUP officials alleged that men in uniform assaulted and robbed the group while questioning their political support. The incident occurred during a tense election period marked by clashes and allegations of intimidation involving opposition supporters. Beyond the election dispute, Matovu was known among colleagues for raising constituency concerns in Parliament.
Former Chief Opposition Whip John Baptist Nambeshe recalled Matovu’s contribution to parliamentary work and his efforts to represent ordinary people.
During the 11th Parliament, Matovu served on committees, including Agriculture and Defence and Internal Affairs.
His death leaves the election petition unresolved as the court proceedings continue without the man who filed it.
For his supporters in Busiro South, Matovu represented the political change that swept through parts of the country in 2021. His defeat in 2026, which he challenged in court, marked a difficult end to his parliamentary career.
His final illness was sudden, according to the account shared by Rubongoya, and no public evidence had established a connection between his death and the election dispute.
As family members and party colleagues prepare to mourn him, questions surrounding his death remain unanswered pending further information from the family and medical authorities.
At 41, Matovu died while still pursuing a legal battle over the parliamentary seat he had held for five years.
