Frank Muramuzi, a founder of NAPE and a leading environmentalist is remembered for his lifelong dedication to Uganda’s natural resources and community empowerment.
Kampala, Uganda – Uganda’s environmental community is in mourning following the shocking death of Frank Muramuzi, a founding member and Executive Director of the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE).
Muramuzi, 62, passed away on Monday morning at Nakasero Hospital, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering commitment to environmental protection and human rights advocacy.
Born on December 12, 1962, the environmentalist’s career spanned decades of activism aimed at conserving Uganda’s natural heritage and empowering local communities.
Muramuzi’s leadership was instrumental not only nationally but also regionally, where he served as Chairperson of the East African Communities Organizations for the Management of Lake Victoria Resources (ECOVIC), Uganda Chapter, and as a board member of the Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development (UCSD).
He was a founding member of the African Rivers Network (ARN) and played an active role in the UNEP-based Dams and Development Forum (DDP), advocating for sustainable management of water resources across East Africa.
Among Muramuzi’s most notable contributions was his vocal leadership during the early 2000s Save Mabira Forest campaign, where he opposed plans to allocate parts of the forest for commercial sugarcane production, a campaign that galvanized national awareness around environmental conservation.
He was a pioneer in the Friends of the Earth (FOE) federation, serving as the first chairperson of its membership development board.
Muramuzi also contributed as a board member of the National Association for Women in Development (NAWAD) Uganda and coordinated the Oil Watch Network in East Africa, a grassroots movement opposing the negative impacts of oil extraction in the Albertine Rift region.
Through NAPE, he established Community Green Radio and supported women-led grassroots environmental initiatives, fostering community participation and environmental education.
Throughout his career, Muramuzi championed the preservation of key natural areas such as Mabira and Bugoma forests, advocated for communities displaced by large infrastructure projects like the Bujagali Dam, and promoted alternative energy solutions for Uganda and the wider region.
His passionate voice was widely recognized in media circles locally and internationally, where he consistently called for sustainable development and respect for human rights.
The family and environmental stakeholders will soon announce burial arrangements.
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