By Kampala, Uganda – Joseph Tamale Mirundi, a prominent political commentator and former presidential press secretary, passed away on Tuesday night at Kisubi Hospital in Kampala due to lung-related complications. He was 59 years old.
Family sources confirmed that Mirundi had been hospitalized for over a month and was showing signs of improvement in recent days. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly on Tuesday evening. One of his sons revealed that Mirundi had been receiving treatment for fluid accumulation in his lungs, which had worsened when doctors discovered blood instead of fluid during a procedure.
Mirundi served as the presidential press secretary to President Yoweri Museveni for nearly 13 years, from 2003 until his dismissal in July 2015. After leaving the position, he remained a vocal figure in Ugandan politics, frequently appearing on television and online platforms to comment on current affairs.
Eulogizing him, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among expressed her condolences, stating, “As a journalist, civil servant, and socio-political commentator, Mirundi made significant contributions to his country, and his loss leaves a great void. My sympathies go out to Counsel John Mirundi, the entire family, his friends, and relatives.”
Born in 1964 in Matale-Kalagala Village, Kyotera District, Mirundi was the ninth child of Molly Namatovu and Yowana Mirundi. He attended Rubaga Senior Secondary School before pursuing a degree in Mass Communication from Makerere University.
Mirundi began his career in journalism while still a student, writing for the Munno newspaper in 1981. In 1998, he left Munno to launch his own newspapers, The Voice and Lipoota, though they did not achieve lasting success.
Throughout his career, Mirundi was known for his fierce loyalty to President Museveni, earning both admiration and criticism for his unfiltered commentary. His passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Ugandan media and politics.
