UCU Community Mourn the tragic death of Pamela Tumwebaze

MUKONO; Uganda Christian University (UCU) and the wider academic community are mourning the tragic death of Pamela Tumwebaze, the University’s Dean of Students, who was reportedly murdered on Tuesday night after unknown assailants broke into her home in Mukono and attacked her.

According to preliminary reports, Tumwebaze was assaulted by thugs during the night and rushed to hospital in critical condition. Despite efforts by medical personnel to save her life, she succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday morning. Her death has sent shockwaves across the university fraternity, colleagues, students, and friends who have described her as a dedicated mentor and compassionate leader.

During the day, Tumwebaze had led Community hour prayers at campus.

Pamela Tumwebaze had built a long and deeply rooted relationship with Uganda Christian University that spanned over two decades. She first joined UCU in 2000 as an undergraduate student and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts with Education. Shortly after graduation, she began serving the institution as a Tutorial Assistant in the Faculty of Education, marking the beginning of a distinguished career within the university.

Over the years, Tumwebaze pursued further academic growth, earning a Master of Arts in Literature from UCU and later enrolling for a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication, which she had been completing. She also rose through several administrative and academic roles including Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affairs, Executive Officer to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Finance and Administration, and Head of the Honors College.

At the time of her death, she was serving as the Director of Students Affairs (DOSA) a position she had held for about three months alongside her responsibilities at the Honors College. In her role as DOSA, she was widely recognized for her passion for student mentorship, discipline, and youth development. She often emphasized the importance of nurturing young people into responsible future leaders.

Beyond her professional life, Tumwebaze was known as a devoted mother of two boys and wife to Alexander Matsiko, whom she met during her time at UCU. She hailed from Mbarara District in Western Uganda, attended St. Helens Primary School Mbarara and later Kyeizooba Girls Secondary School in Bushenyi before joining UCU for her university education.

Colleagues and students remember her as warm, approachable, and deeply committed to shaping the next generation. Her sudden and violent death has left many grieving and calling for swift investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.