Prominent businessman, philanthropist, and political figure James Garuga Musinguzi has died at the age of 72.

According to Kate Baryayanga, a relative, Musinguzi passed away on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at a hospital in Kampala, where he had been receiving treatment.

His family had been making arrangements to fly him abroad for specialized care before his condition worsened.

Garuga, as he was widely known, was a well-respected entrepreneur and one of the founding members and key financiers of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda’s leading opposition party in the 2000s.

His role in both the business and political spheres left a lasting imprint on the country’s economic and civic landscape.

At the time of his death, Musinguzi was still active in his enterprises and regarded as a pillar of economic development in Kigezi sub-region and beyond. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.