The body of Messe Bontwe, a former member of the popular comedy group Amarula Family, is set to be flown into Uganda on Thursday, January 16, 2025, from the United States.
Messe passed away on December 12, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona.
According to his close friend, Grace Sekamatte, his body departed the US on January 14, 2025, and is expected to land in Uganda two days later.
Upon arrival, the body will be received by Executive Funeral Services and his family. A funeral service will be held in his honor at the Munyonyo Church of Uganda on January 17, 2025, to celebrate his life and contributions to comedy and entertainment. Following the service, Messe’s body will be transported to his home in Kabuuma.
A special tribute to DJ Messe Bontwe’s legacy will take place at the National Theatre on January 18, 2025.
The final rites will be held on Monday, January 20, 2025, when he will be laid to rest at his ancestral home in Rwampala at 2:00 PM.
Messe, whose real name was Nicholas Mpirwe, was a beloved figure in Uganda’s comedy scene. He rose to prominence in the early 2000s as part of Amarula Family, alongside Allan Mujuni (Amooti Omubalanguzi), Paddy ‘Bitama’ Ssali, and Daniel Kanyerezi (Irish Kyebandula).
He retired from comedy in 2021, feeling he had outgrown the industry. In addition to his comedy career, Messe worked as a radio presenter at Dembe FM and later at Super FM, owned by Peter Ssematimba, which was his last station in Uganda.
Messe gained widespread recognition for his role on the comedy skit “Side Mirror,” which aired on WBS Television in the early 2000s. The skit, which satirized Ugandan events with humor, became a massive hit and helped launch the careers of several comedy stars, including Messe and Amooti.
Despite the show’s early success, it lost momentum after the deaths of Paddy Ssali (Bitama) and later Irish Kyebandula. The show’s ratings further dwindled after it was discontinued on WBS. Nevertheless, “Side Mirror” played a key role in shaping Uganda’s comedy scene, and Messe’s legacy lives on in the industry.
After retiring from comedy and radio, Messe relocated to the US, where he spent his final years.
