Cedric Babu Ndilima, a well-known Ugandan media figure, sports administrator and political actor, has died at the age of 49. His death, confirmed on Saturday, follows complications arising from a long-standing heart condition.
News of his passing has reverberated across Uganda’s media, sporting and political spheres, where he held a series of high-profile roles.
Mr Babu was recently serving as Vice Chairperson for Kampala in the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political movement aligned with the ruling party. He had also been receiving treatment for heart failure, which doctors had described as critical.
Earlier this month, Mr Babu collapsed while attending a tennis tournament in Kigali, Rwanda. He was airlifted to Nairobi for emergency care, where doctors recommended a heart transplant as the only viable option for survival.
A fundraising campaign, launched on GoFundMe by family friend Siki Salima Kigongo, sought to raise £300,000 (approximately 1.5 billion Ugandan shillings) to facilitate surgery in the United Kingdom. By the time of his death, just under £40,000 had been raised.
The campaign sparked a range of reactions online, with supporters rallying behind the cause, while others questioned the ethics and expectations of public appeals by prominent figures. The debate drew attention to broader concerns around healthcare access, inequality, and public trust.
Uganda’s national broadcaster, UBC, where Mr Babu once hosted the widely followed Cedric Live Show, described him as a “valued member” of the UBC family in a tribute posted on social media.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Cedric Babu Ndilima,” the statement read. “Through The Cedric Live Show, he brought insight and vibrance to our screens. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
Political colleagues also paid tribute. Balaam Barugahara, the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs and PLU Vice Chairman for Western Uganda, said he was “shocked and saddened” by the news.
“May the Lord comfort Hon. Captain mzee Francis Babu, Mama Oliver, the children, their mothers, the PLU family, his friends, and former schoolmates,” Mr Barugahara wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Cedric Babu was the son of former cabinet minister Francis Babu and business leader Olive Zaitun Kigongo, who serves as President of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Babu entered politics in 2021, running unsuccessfully for Kampala Central under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). He was also widely recognised for his work in sports development, particularly in youth and tennis initiatives.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.
