Former FDC funder Garuga Musinguzi is Dead

RIP; Musinguzi Garuga

Reports are emerging that prominent Ugandan businessman and philanthropist James Musinguzi Garuga has died. 

Details remain scanty. 

Garuga, one of the most influential figures from the Kigezi sub‑region, rose to national prominence in the early 2000s as a key political financier and founding backer of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). 

He was a close ally of Dr. Kizza Besigye during the Reform Agenda days, providing both logistical and financial support in the struggle against the ruling NRM government. 

In 2006, Garuga stepped away from active politics, saying he preferred to focus on “development politics,” channeling his resources into tea farming, tourism projects, infrastructure, and education initiatives in Kanungu and across western Uganda. His philanthropy included funding church projects, scholarships, and community facilities. 

At the time of his reported death, Garuga remained an influential voice in regional development and was respected across political divides for his investment in local economic growth. 

The cause of death and other details have not yet been officially confirmed. More updates will follow as the story develops