Biography: Who is Joseph Tamale Mirundi?

Reports indicate that Mirundi, aged 59, succumbed to lung-related complications at around 11:40 P.M. at Kisubi Hospital in Kampala, where he had been receiving treatment for over a month.

Read: Tamale Mirundi is dead

The reports, based on information from immediate family members, suggest that while his condition had improved on Sunday and Monday, it deteriorated sharply on Tuesday.

According to doctors, Joseph Tamale Mirundi had been suffering from fluid accumulation in his lungs, which they had been draining. However, when they attempted the procedure on Tuesday, blood was extracted instead of fluid, leading to further complications.

See: Celebrities mourn passing of Tamale Mirundi

Mirundi served as the presidential press secretary until July 2015, when he was dismissed by President Yoweri Museveni. He had held the position for approximately 13 years. In 2019, Mirundi disclosed that he had been poisoned, though it remains unclear if he fully recovered from the incident.

Born in 1964 in Rakai District, Joseph Tamale Mirundi was a journalist, author, and political analyst, renowned for his sharp commentary across various media platforms. Throughout his career, he contributed to numerous outlets, including Radio 4, NBS TV, Top Radio, Beat FM, ABS TV, Impact FM, STV Uganda, Pearl FM, and Metro FM.

Related: Tamale Mirundi Junior mourns passing of his father

Mirundi, the son of Molly Namatovu and Yowana Mirundi, attended Lubiri Secondary School. He held a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and a Master’s degree in Communication.

Additional facts about Joseph Tamale Mirundi

• Joseph Tamale Mirundi served as the presidential press secretary for 12 years.
• In 2009, during the protests over the government’s refusal to allow the Kabaka to visit Kayunga, Mirundi supported the government's stance.
• He authored several books, including:
• Bafunda ne Serwajjokwota
• Who Keeps the President in Power?
• Uganda’s Oil: Is It a Curse or Scramble?
• What Divides the State and Religion
• Killing a Medical Doctor to Save a Cobbler
• From Crown Prince to Commoner
• How Mbabazi Plotted His Failed Coup
• The History of the Media in Uganda: Case of a Snake in a Cooking Pot; an Essential Handbook for Students of Mass Communication and Journalism
• Again at the Crossroad
• Bobi Wine: Victory or Revolution?
• Mafia Threatens Museveni’s Survival
• Banyampi
• The Making of Besigye