The President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has paid tribute to Monica Nabukenya Kibalama, 38, who was found dead in her bathroom on Monday.
Monica was the wife of long-time NUP supporter John Bosco Kibalama, who has been missing since June 2019. Her body was discovered by one of her eight-year-old twin children at their home in Seeta Kiwalimu, Magere.
Speaking at the burial in Biharwe, Mbarara, Bobi Wine commiserated with the family and denounced what he described as “the continued abductions and persecution of opposition supporters” in Uganda.
“We will continue to support this young family in all ways possible as we press the regime to account for the whereabouts of comrade Kibalama John Bosco. The late Monica was not only a wife and mother but also a strong political activist who stood for justice even amid great personal pain,” he said.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya eulogized Monica, recalling her persistent advocacy for her missing husband.
“Rest in peace, Mukyala Kibalama (as we used to call you). Let’s all pray for, and strive to support these young children who are now without father and mother. Maybe one day, their father will resurface. Until then, we must continue to demand accountability and justice,” he said.
Monica had been managing diabetes and high blood pressure but was reportedly recovering. Preliminary reports from City Mortuary indicate that the cause of her death is yet to be determined pending toxicological analysis.
John Bosco Kibalama, an accountant and former NRM member who later joined People Power, disappeared on June 3, 2019.
Witnesses reported seeing him abducted into a Toyota Hiace van — a vehicle type frequently linked to abductions in Uganda.
His disappearance has remained shrouded in conflicting accounts from state agencies, including statements by the UPDF and, in 2023, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.
Despite personal loss, Monica was a vocal advocate for families of the disappeare]d, engaging in demonstrations, media campaigns, and legal petitions demanding transparency.
Opposition politicians have described her as “a symbol of courage and resilience in the face of fear and intimidation.”
Bobi Wine reaffirmed NUP’s commitment to standing with families affected by enforced disappearances.
“The story of the Kibalama family is one of many across this country. We shall not stop until justice is served, and until Uganda is free from fear,” he said, promising continued support for Monica’s children and efforts to uncover the truth about John Bosco Kibalama’s fate.