Cedric Babu Ndilima, the son of veteran Ugandan politician Capt. Francis Babu and prominent businesswoman Olive Zaitun Kigongo, has died at the age of 49. He passed away today in Nairobi, Kenya, after battling a serious heart condition.
Cedric was receiving treatment at the Aga Khan University Hospital, where he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following a medical emergency earlier this month. He had collapsed during a tennis tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, and was urgently airlifted to Nairobi for specialized care.
In recent weeks, efforts to save his life intensified. Family and friends launched a public fundraising campaign to raise £300,000 (approximately UGX 1.4 billion) to facilitate a heart transplant in the United Kingdom. A GoFundMe page and numerous social media appeals were circulated in hopes of enabling his medical evacuation to London. Sadly, the funds were not raised in time.
Cedric was a well-regarded figure in Uganda’s sports and youth development sectors. A former president of the Uganda Tennis Association, he represented the country both as a player and as a team captain in international competitions. Beyond sports, Cedric was celebrated for his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to youth empowerment.
Funeral arrangements will be communicated by the family in the coming days.
