KAMPALA — Ugandan comedian Yokana Mbuuse, popularly known as Kapere Lufotose, has died at a hospital in Buddo, Wakiso District.
The news emerged on Sunday, November 1, 2026, after journalist and content creator Kasuku announced his passing 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 the comedian had not been suffering from any known illness before the incident. The cause of death and what happened before he was taken to hospital remained unclear.
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.
Kapere’s death has brought renewed attention to a life story that went beyond comedy. He was an entertainer who overcame childhood rejection, a medical condition and limited formal education to establish himself in Uganda’s entertainment industry.
He became popular through the Amarula Family, a Luganda comedy group associated with Amooti Omubalanguzi and Messe Bontwe. His exaggerated facial expressions, unusual sounds, dancing and distinctive stage performances made him stand out.
His introduction to comedy was not planned. A taxi driver who noticed him reportedly encouraged him to meet Amooti, who gave him an opportunity to perform. His appearance initially attracted laughter from audiences, but he eventually turned that attention into his trademark.
His popular skit Lufotoose helped cement the stage name Kapere Lufotose.
He later appeared in television productions and music videos, including Bobi Wine’s Mr. Money, in which he played a wealthy man attempting to win a woman’s affection through material possessions.
The struggles behind the laughter
Kapere’s childhood was far from easy.
He lost his mother while still a baby and was raised by his grandparents in Nansana. He previously revealed that his father rejected him because of his physical appearance and hearing impairment.
During an appearance on Mwasuze Mutya in January 2025, he recounted how his father threatened him during a visit when he was in Primary Three, telling him that he was unwanted.
His education was interrupted by a severe hernia that made him fear participating in physical activities. He eventually dropped out of school around Primary Four.
To survive, he took up casual work at construction sites. His circumstances later improved after a friend identified as Bashir helped publicise his medical needs, leading to free treatment at the Mukisa Foundation in Lungujja.
After recovering, Kapere learned to make key holders, reportedly producing approximately 150 a day. He also worked as a gatekeeper at the foundation.
In a 2013 interview with Daily Monitor, he described himself as “ugly and proud of it”. Rather than hide the physical features that had made him a target of rejection, he embraced them and built a public identity around them.
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 marriage in a mass wedding conducted by Pastor Robert Kayanja.
They had children together, and Kapere often spoke about wanting to give his family the love he had missed during his childhood. His wife also described him as a caring and responsible husband who worked hard to provide for their children.
Kapere also had ambitions beyond comedy. In 2015, he announced plans to enter politics and presented a manifesto during a press conference that was featured on NTV’s Zungulu.
He later expressed interest in contesting for political office in Makindye under the National Unity Platform. He argued that one did not need extensive formal education to represent ordinary people, provided they understood their problems and were willing to speak on their behalf.
In recent years, he remained active on TikTok, where his comedy clips continued to attract attention. He also spoke openly about the difficulties facing comedians, particularly declining performance opportunities and what he considered a lack of support from sections of the entertainment industry.
Bobi Wine mourns
Bobi Wine was among the prominent figures who mourned Kapere, describing his death as devastating.
He remembered him as a brother, friend and comrade who could make every dark moment lighter. He also praised his love for Uganda and his desire to see the country prosper.
Kapere’s story was one of turning personal adversity into an unlikely career. From a childhood in which he struggled to find acceptance to becoming a familiar face in Ugandan comedy, he built a name that audiences came to associate with laughter.
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 cause of death were still awaited as tributes continued to emerge.
