KAMPALA – Ugandan comedian Yokana Mbuuse, popularly known as Kapere Lufotose, has died at a hospital in Buddo, Wakiso District, leaving behind a story of personal struggles, rejection and an unlikely rise to fame through comedy.
News of his death emerged on Sunday, November 1, 2026, after journalist and content creator Kasuku announced it on social media.
“Comedian Kapere is gone. He has passed on at a hospital in Buddo,” Kasuku wrote.
His management subsequently confirmed the death, saying he had not been suffering from any known illness before the incident. The cause of death, however, remained unclear by the time of publication.
Preliminary information indicated that Kapere and his wife had visited their children along Entebbe Road earlier in the day. He had also reportedly spent part of the night at a party at Thrones Lounge in Bugolobi.
But beyond the circumstances of his death, Kapere leaves behind a life story that was as unusual as the comedy that made him popular.
Born into circumstances that denied him many of the opportunities enjoyed by other children, he overcame family rejection, a physical condition, hearing impairment and interrupted education to build a career in Uganda’s entertainment industry.
He rose to prominence through the Amarula Family, a Luganda comedy group associated with entertainers Amooti Omubalanguzi and Messe Bontwe.
His exaggerated facial expressions, unusual sounds, dancing and unconventional stage performances became his trademarks. What some people had once regarded as reasons to ridicule him eventually became the foundation of his public identity.
His entry into comedy was largely accidental. A taxi driver who noticed him reportedly encouraged him to approach Amooti, who gave him an opportunity to perform.
Initially, audiences were drawn to his appearance, but Kapere gradually turned their reactions into a distinctive comic style.
His popular skit, Lufotoose, helped establish the stage name Kapere Lufotose, under which he became a familiar face in Ugandan entertainment.
He subsequently featured in television productions and music videos, including Bobi Wine’s Mr. Money, in which he portrayed a wealthy man attempting to win a woman’s affection through material possessions.
A childhood marked by rejection
Behind the laughter was a childhood characterised by hardship.
Kapere lost his mother while still a baby and was raised by his grandparents in Nansana. He previously spoke about being rejected by his father because of his physical appearance and hearing impairment.
During an appearance on NTV Uganda’s Mwasuze Mutya programme in January 2025, he recalled an encounter with his father when he was in Primary Three.
According to his account, his father threatened him during a visit and told him that he was unwanted.
His education was also disrupted by a severe hernia, which made him fearful of participating in physical activities. He eventually dropped out of school around Primary Four.
With limited opportunities, Kapere turned to casual labour at construction sites to survive.
His circumstances began to change after a friend identified as Bashir helped publicise his medical condition, attracting assistance that enabled him to receive free treatment at Mukisa Foundation in Lungujja.
Following his recovery, he learned to make key holders, reportedly producing about 150 daily. He also worked as a gatekeeper at the foundation.
In a 2013 interview with Daily Monitor, he famously described himself as “ugly and proud of it”.
It was an attitude that reflected his decision to embrace rather than conceal the physical features that had subjected him to ridicule and rejection during childhood.
Marriage and political ambitions
Away from entertainment, Kapere was married to Lydia Nakandi, popularly known as Mama Trump.
The couple had been together for approximately 14 years before formalising their relationship in a mass wedding conducted by Pastor Robert Kayanja.
They had children together, and Kapere often spoke about his determination to give his family the love and security he had missed growing up.
His wife previously described him as a caring and responsible husband who worked hard to provide for their children.
Kapere also entertained ambitions beyond comedy, including joining elective politics.
In 2015, he announced plans to venture into politics and presented a manifesto during a press conference that was featured on NTV’s Zungulu programme.
He later expressed interest in contesting for political office in Makindye under the National Unity Platform (NUP).
He argued that formal education alone should not determine one’s ability to represent ordinary people, maintaining that understanding their problems and being willing to speak for them were equally important.
In recent years, Kapere remained active on TikTok, where his comedy videos continued to attract audiences.
He also spoke openly about the difficulties facing comedians, particularly declining performance opportunities and what he considered inadequate support from sections of Uganda’s entertainment industry.
Bobi Wine pays tribute
National Unity Platform president and musician Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, was among the prominent figures who mourned the comedian.
Bobi Wine described his death as devastating, remembering Kapere as a brother, friend and comrade whose presence could make even the darkest moments lighter.
He also paid tribute to his love for Uganda and his desire to see the country prosper.
Kapere’s journey was an unusual passage from childhood rejection to public recognition. He built a career around the very characteristics that had once made acceptance difficult, turning ridicule into entertainment and an unconventional appearance into a recognisable brand.
His exact age had not been officially confirmed, although available accounts place him in his early-to-mid 40s.
Details of his burial arrangements and the circumstances surrounding his death were still awaited as tributes continued to emerge.
