Ugandan comedian Yokana Mbuuse, popularly known as Kapere Lufotose, has died at a hospital in Buddo, Wakiso District.
The comedian passed away on Sunday, November 1, 2026, with journalist and content creator Kasuku among the first to announce the news.
“Comedian Kapere is gone. He has passed on at a hospital in Buddo,” Kasuku wrote in a social media post.
His management later confirmed the death, saying he had not been suffering from any known illness before the incident. The cause of death remained unknown, with further details expected from his family.
Reports indicated that Kapere and his wife had visited their children along Entebbe Road earlier in the day. He had also reportedly attended a party at Thrones Lounge in Bugolobi in the early hours of Sunday.
For many Ugandans, Kapere was more than a comedian. He was a familiar entertainment personality whose unusual stage presence and ability to make audiences laugh helped him build a career despite a difficult start in life.
He rose to prominence through the Amarula Family, a Luganda comedy group associated with Amooti Omubalanguzi and Messe Bontwe. His performances were distinguished by exaggerated facial expressions, comic sounds, dancing and a style that audiences could easily recognise.
His entry into comedy followed an encounter with a taxi driver who reportedly noticed him and advised him to seek out Amooti. The comedian eventually gave him an opportunity to perform on stage.
Kapere initially attracted laughter because of his appearance but gradually turned that attention into his biggest selling point. His skit Lufotoose helped establish the stage identity that followed him throughout his career.
He also ventured into television and music videos, appearing in Bobi Wine’s Mr. Money, where he portrayed a wealthy man attempting to impress a woman with money and material possessions.
A childhood marked by rejection
Behind the laughter was a difficult upbringing that Kapere openly discussed in interviews.
He lost his mother when he was still a baby and was raised largely by his grandparents in Nansana. His father reportedly rejected him because of his physical appearance and hearing impairment.
During an appearance on Mwasuze Mutya in January 2025, Kapere recalled how his father threatened him during a visit when he was in Primary Three, telling him that he was unwanted.
His education was further affected by a serious hernia that made him afraid of engaging in physical activities. He eventually dropped out of school around Primary Four.
He later survived through casual work at construction sites before receiving assistance from the Mukisa Foundation in Lungujja. A friend identified as Bashir helped publicise his medical condition, leading to free treatment.
After recovering, he learned to make key holders, reportedly producing around 150 daily, and also worked as a gatekeeper at the foundation.
In a 2013 interview with Daily Monitor, he described himself as “ugly and proud of it”, a statement that reflected how he had embraced the physical features that had once exposed him to rejection.
Marriage and political ambitions
Kapere was married to Lydia Nakandi, popularly known as Mama Trump. Their relationship lasted approximately 14 years before they formalised their marriage in a mass wedding ceremony conducted by Pastor Robert Kayanja.
The couple had children together. Kapere often said he was determined to give his family the affection he had missed during childhood. His wife also described him as a responsible husband who worked hard to provide for their children.
Beyond comedy, he had ambitions in politics. In 2015, he announced plans to enter the political arena and presented a manifesto at a press conference featured on NTV’s Zungulu programme.
He later expressed interest in contesting for political office in Makindye under the National Unity Platform. He argued that people should not be excluded from leadership simply because they had limited formal education.
In recent years, he remained active on TikTok, where he shared comedy clips and interacted with followers. He also spoke openly about financial difficulties in the comedy industry, declining performance opportunities and what he considered a lack of support from some fellow entertainers and promoters.
Bobi Wine pays tribute
Bobi Wine was among those who mourned the comedian, describing his death as devastating.
He remembered Kapere as a brother, friend and comrade who had a special ability to make dark moments lighter. He also praised his love for Uganda and his desire to see the country prosper.
Kapere leaves behind a distinctive place in Uganda’s comedy history, having transformed personal struggles into an identity that entertained audiences for more than a decade.
His exact age had not been officially established by Sunday evening. Details about his burial arrangements and the circumstances surrounding his death were still awaited.
The post Kapere Lufotose: Comedian who turned childhood rejection into fame dies appeared first on BigEye.UG.
