It Hurts to Breathe”: Detained NUP’s Mufumbiro Mourns Wife in Emotional Letter

Detained National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro has shared a deeply emotional open letter mourning his wife, Edith Katende Mufumbiro, one week after her death.

Edith passed away on April 8, 2026, following a prolonged battle with breast cancer. Mufumbiro, who is currently on remand at Luzira Prison, was unable to be by her side in her final moments or attend her burial.

“It’s been a week. One week since my wife took her last breath. One week since the world went quiet. And I wasn’t there,” Mufumbiro wrote.

Court records show that his applications for bail—both during his wife’s illness and after her death—were denied. A request for temporary release to attend the burial was also rejected by the Kanyanya Chief Magistrate’s Court.

In the letter, Mufumbiro expressed the weight of his absence during his wife’s final days and burial.

“I miss her so much it hurts to breathe. I miss her voice in the morning. I miss her texting me before a fight. I miss the way she believed in me when nobody else did,” he wrote.

He thanked family members, friends, and supporters who ensured his wife was laid to rest in Busiiro, Luuka District.

“You all laid her to rest for me. You did what I should have done. For that, I will thank you for the rest of my life,” he said.

Mufumbiro also addressed his children, offering an apology from detention, and paid tribute to his late wife, describing her as a pillar of support in his life.

“To my wife Edith, I hope you can hear me. I love you. I will always love you,” he wrote.

Mufumbiro remains on remand facing charges related to incitement, which officials from his party have previously described as politically motivated.

His letter has since drawn public attention, sparking conversations around the personal toll of detention, particularly in times of family loss.