Senator and former Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Donatille Mukabalisa passed away due to an illness, Senate President François-Xavier Kalinda said on Thursday, July 30. Mukabalisa, who chaired the Liberal Party (PL), died at the age of 66. It is with heavy heart and great sorrow that the Senate of Rwanda announces the passing of Honourable Donatille MUKABALISA, who died today, 30 July 2026, at the King Faisal Hospital (KFH) in Kigali, Kalinda said in a statement. He offered condolences to Mukabalisa's family, adding that details about the memorial service and the funeral would be communicated later. ALSO READ: Former house speaker Mukabalisa returns to Senate Mukabalisa's political career Mukabalisa held several key leadership positions in Rwanda's legislature. The politician, who held a bachelor's degree in law, began her parliamentary career in 2000 as a member of the National Transitional Assembly, serving until 2003. Following the adoption of Rwanda's new Constitution in 2003, she was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where she served until 2011. In the same year, she was appointed as a Senator. ALSO READ: MP Mukabalisa shares Rwanda's gender equality experience at key forum In October 2013, she returned to the Chamber of Deputies and was elected as Speaker of Parliament, a position she held until 2024. After completing her term in the Lower House, Mukabalisa was designated to the Senate by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations (NFPO) on September 19, 2024 and she served as a senator until her passing. Mukabalisa was born in Nyamata, Bugesera District, in July 1960. She worked as a lecturer of law at the Kigali Independent University (ULK). She also worked for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), serving with the two UN agencies for a total of 16 years.
