KAMPALA, Uganda — Nsereko Kyamukungubya Kiwanuka, the son of prominent Ugandan businessman Mohan Kiwanuka and former Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka, was found dead in his Washington, D.C., apartment, a family member said. He was 34.
Kiwanuka was found unresponsive Wednesday in what authorities and family believe was a sudden heart attack, according to a relative who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private matter. An official cause of death has not yet been released.
The young man had recently completed his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Denver and was working as a financial advisor for a U.S. real estate firm. According to his family, he had received confirmation that he had passed his work probation two months ahead of schedule.
“He was excited, really excited,” a family member said. “He had finally found his rhythm abroad.”
Following a public holiday on Monday, Kiwanuka failed to show up for work on Tuesday. A close family friend contacted police, who went to his apartment. They found the door locked and forced their way inside, where they found Kiwanuka unresponsive with the television on.
Before relocating to the U.S., Kiwanuka had worked at dfcu Bank in Uganda. Those who knew him described him as a reserved but driven man.
“He was living alone, yes, but he was not isolated,” the family member said. “He kept in touch. He was happy.”
His death has sent shockwaves through the Ugandan diaspora and elite circles in Kampala. Friends and former colleagues remembered him as a young man full of potential.
