Cartoonist Spire dismisses foul play in brother Kiggundu death

KAMPALA - Satirical cartoonist Dr Spire Ssentongo has dismissed rumours that have been circulating on social media claiming foul play in the sudden death of his elder brother Dr John Bosco Spire Kiggundu.

The founder and executive director of Henrob Laparoscopy Hospital in Zzana on Entebbe Road, Kiggundu was on Sunday, June 22, 2025, discovered dead in a hotel room.

Managers at Dream Guest House in KKB Zone, Bweya Ward, Kajjansi town council in Wakiso district on Sunday alerted the Police that one of their guests had been found unresponsive in his Room 111 located on the third floor of the building.

It is said he booked into the hotel the previous day, June 21, 2025, at approximately 5:35pm.  

“Though it may not be the right time amidst grieving, I just want to dispel of the harmful disinformation circulating around Dr John Spire Kiggundu’s sudden death,” Dr. Ssentongo, also a human rights defender and academician, said.

He had earlier used his X, formerly Twitter, handle to announce the passing of his brother.

He stated that it is “NOT TRUE” that Dr Kiggundu was shot and dumped in a trench, and that he was not kidnapped by anyone and that it is not true that he was killed by anyone for political or other reasons.

He added, “The post-mortem report (credibly done) shows that he died of a heart attack and was only found a day after”.

Ssentongo, also dismissed as false that the deceased had any business relationship with Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga.

“He (Katikkiro) was only a chief guest at the launch of Henrob Hospital in 2020, which Kiggundu built over the years through very hard work from a one-room clinic in 2003 to where it is now”.

Kiggundu is scheduled to be buried tomorrow, June 25, 2025, at his ancestral home in Butozi, Kalisizo in Kyotera district at 2:00pm, starting with Mass. (Credit: Juliet Anna Lukwago)

He further stated, “It is (Hospital) named after his sons Henry and Robert. Kindly disregard the disinformation that may cause unnecessary harm and hatred to others. Let John rest”.

Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed that the Police had launched investigations into the death with a view of establishing whether there was foul play or it was a natural death.

“We are still investigating the matter, no arrests have been made,” he said, adding that the investigators have, however, obtained some leads, Owoyesigyire stated. 

Burial programme

Kiggundu is scheduled to be buried tomorrow, June 25, 2025, at his ancestral home in Butozi, Kalisizo in Kyotera district at 2:00pm, starting with Mass.

According to the burial programme, on Monday, there was a requiem mass at St Joseph Lweza parish, followed by a vigil at his home in Bunamwaya-Lubowa near Zzana, and the body would leave for Kyotera on Tuesday morning.

Several women who had received treatment from Dr Kiggundu testified that he had rare skills in laparoscopy—a surgical procedure used to examine the organs in the abdomen, especially women's pelvic organs.

He undertook surgeries on many women who had challenges with fertility and related complications.