Uganda deputy high commissioner to Rwanda dies, eulogised as 'towering figure' in foreign service

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Uganda's deputy high commissioner to Rwanda, Santa Laker Kinyera, has passed on and eulogised as a towering figure in the nation's foreign service.

A statement from Uganda's foreign affairs ministry (MOFA) dated March 3, 2026, says Kinyera paased on from the Kampala city-based Mulago Specialised National Referral Hospital. 

Kinyera joined the ministry in 1994 as a career diplomat and rose through the ranks.

"She has been serving as Uganda's Deputy High Commissioner in Kigali,"  MoFA stated. 

The ministry said details of funeral arrangements will be shared in due course.

Ivan Koreta, a former editor of the Diplomatic Newsletter at MoFA paid a glowing tribute to the late ambassador, saying, "There are moments when words feel inadequate, and this is one. However, a tribute is warranted. Uganda has lost Ambassador  Kinyera, a towering figure in our Foreign Service (diplomatic) corps. A career diplomat of exceptional calibre at MoFA."

"For all who had the privilege of knowing her or benefiting from her steadfast service, what set her apart was not only her professional excellence but her character: she was a protector and a beacon, someone who stood firmly for fairness and representation for every Ugandan, transcending affiliations, politics, or divisions," Koreta said.

He said the late ambassador dedicated nearly three decades to advancing Uganda's interests with unwavering integrity, clarity and commitment.

"From her early roles shaping bilateral and regional integration in the Africa and Middle East Department, to serving as a key negotiator in the East African Community Treaty, to leading efforts on peace initiatives in the Horn of Africa through IGAD and the African Union, she consistently placed Uganda's voice at the centre of complex multilateral arenas."

Koreta said, Ambassador Kinyera was pivotal in the opening of Uganda's Embassy in Ankara as the first Chargé d’Affaires—and her time as Deputy Head of Mission in Washington, DC, demonstrated her ability to build bridges across cultures and continents.

"In an often polarised world, she embodied the ideal of a solid bridge—connecting people, institutions, and nations with quiet strength, deep commitment, and genuine love for her country and its people. As a mentor and boss, she guided with wisdom and grounded professionalism, inspiring those around her to uphold the highest standards of service and humanity, " he added. 

He said her legacy will endure in the fairer representation she helped secure for Uganda on the global stage, in the young diplomats she shaped, and in the countless lives touched by her principled leadership.

"May God strengthen us all, receive her in heavenly glory, and may her example continue to light the path for Uganda's future diplomats and leaders," Koreta stated.