Donatille Mukabalisa dies aged 66

Former President of Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies, Donatille Mukabalisa, has died after an illness at the age of 66.

Mukabalisa passed away on Thursday morning, July 30, 2026, at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, where she had been receiving treatment for some time.

The news of her death was confirmed on Thursday morning, with one of her fellow senators telling local media that he had recently visited her during her hospitalization.

Born in July 1960 in Nyamata, Bugesera District, Mukabalisa built a distinguished career in academia, public service and politics.

She lectured in law at the Independent University of Kigali (ULK) before joining the World Health Organization and later the United Nations Development Programme, where she served for 16 years.

She entered Parliament in October 2003 after being elected to the Chamber of Deputies, serving until 2008.

Later, she became a senator from 2011 to 2013 before returning to the Chamber of Deputies in 2013.

Mukabalisa served as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies from 2013 until 2024.

She did not seek re-election after completing the maximum two terms permitted in the lower house.

Beyond Parliament, Mukabalisa was the president of the Liberal Party (PL), a political party founded on July 14, 1991.

Her death marks the loss of one of Rwanda’s most prominent political figures, remembered for her decades of service in Parliament, international organizations, academia and national politics.