Senator Donatille Mukabalisa, who spent more than two decades serving in Rwanda’s Parliament and led the Chamber of Deputies for over 10 years, has died following an illness.
Mukabalisa passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at King Faisal Hospital, where she had been receiving medical care. The Senate confirmed her death in a statement, expressing condolences to her family.
She had served as a senator since 2024 after a decade-long tenure as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, a position she assumed in 2013.
Born on July 30, 1960, in Nyamata, Bugesera District, Mukabalisa began her professional career as a law lecturer at Kigali Independent University (ULK).
Before entering politics, she worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and later spent 16 years at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mukabalisa joined politics in 2000, saying her experiences during a period of serious human rights challenges in Rwanda influenced her decision to contribute to the fight against injustice.
She was a member of the Liberal Party (Parti Libéral – PL), founded in 1991, and later became its president.
In the 2003 parliamentary elections, Mukabalisa was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where she served from 2003 to 2008. She later joined the Senate from 2011 to 2013 before returning to the lower chamber after the 2013 elections.
She was elected Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies in 2013, becoming one of Rwanda’s longest-serving parliamentary leaders, and remained in the position until 2024.
During her parliamentary career, Mukabalisa played a key role in leading legislative debates and overseeing the work of the Chamber of Deputies before moving to the Senate.
She leaves behind a legacy of more than 20 years of public service in Rwanda’s legislative institutions.
