By The Inspirer.

KIGALI, Rwanda — Senator Donatille Mukabalisa, Rwanda’s former Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and a veteran public servant, has passed away following an illness.

Mukabalisa died on Thursday, July 30, at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali, where she had been receiving treatment for some time.

News of her passing was confirmed on Thursday morning. A fellow senator told local media that they had recently visited her during her hospitalization.

Born in Nyamata, Bugesera District, in July 1960, Mukabalisa began her career as a law lecturer at the Independent University of Kigali (ULK). She later worked for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), serving the two UN agencies for a combined 16 years.

She entered Parliament in 2003 after being elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where she served until 2008. She was appointed to the Senate in 2011 and served until 2013 before returning to the Chamber of Deputies later that year.

Mukabalisa was elected Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies in 2013, a position she held until 2024 after serving the maximum two consecutive terms. She later returned to the Senate.

She also served as president of the Liberal Party (PL), one of Rwanda’s legally recognized political parties.

Mukabalisa is remembered for more than two decades of service in public office, academia, and international development, making significant contributions to Rwanda’s legislative and political landscape.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by her family and the relevant authorities.