Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga

Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga is a Ugandan actor, comedian, director producer, and radio personality, recognised for theatre plays, film, television and radio. He is the founder of Afri Talent, a Ugandan drama group and veteran radio presenter at 88.8 CBS in Kampala. He has played mostly military roles in films such as The Last King of Scotland (Masanga), Sometimes in April (Colonel Bagosora), The Silent Army (Michel Obeke) and The Mercy of the Jungle (Major). He was listed #1 on the list of the ten best Ugandan com..edians by Big Eye in 2015.

Career. Theatre Nkaaga started out as a supporting cast member at his uncle Omugave Ndugwa's theatrical drama group The Black Pearls in 1988. He worked on several productions but started getting recognition when he played a lead role on Ziribasanga Ne Sanyu. At the time such roles were reserved for Fred Kalule, Ndugwa, and Omulangira Kayondo, the big stars of the time. When Kato Lubwama and some of his friends left The Black Pearls in 1993, Nkaaga also started Afri Talent with his other colleagues Ruth Wanyana, Brenda Nanyonjo, Michael Mabira, Bob Bulime and John Segawa. His breakout role in Afri Talent was when he acted as Chombe, a ruthless leader who didn’t care about the plight of soldiers' families. His performance attracted UPDF army commander Gen Mugisha Muntu who praised Mukiibi for the performance. He received an award for Best Actor at the Uganda National Theater Awards in 1994 when he played Kabaka Muteesa II in Saagala Agalamidde. His other works in theatre include Ekitangaala Munzikiza, Omuyaga Mu Makoola, Omusaayi Gw’obutiko, Olujegere Lw’obulamu, Galimpitawa with The Black Pearls and Order, The Best of Abby and Patricko, Ensitaano, Safari, Sebalamu, Tebesigwa, Mbyaase and Akandolindoli at Afri Talent.

Film Mukiibi started appearing in films in 1996 starting with Fire of Hope. In 2005, he played a lead villain role as Colonel Théoneste Bagosora in the HBO film Sometimes in April, about the Rwandan genocide of 1994. His performance in Sometimes in April gave him recognition in the East African region and he started getting more international roles, including a Hollywood role in The Last King of Scotland in 2006 and a role in a South African film The Silent Army in 2008 about the LRA war in northern Uganda. He played a role of a Major in another Rwandan genocide film The Mercy of the Jungle in 2018. His other film roles include John in Imperial Blue (2019) and the Golomadi in the upcoming legal drama film Kafa Coh.

Radio Abby Mukiibi was scouted by Daudi Ochieng and Peter Sematima to join radio in 1996 when they opened CBS radio. He started presenting the morning sports show Kalisoliso Wemizanyo and has presented it since then, remaining one of the longest serving radio personality in a show and at a radio station in Uganda. He later got promoted to the stations' programmes director.

Personal life Nkaaga was born in Jinja to the late Erias Simwogerere and the late Madina Simwogerere. He grew up in the Jinja Walukuba housing estates. He studied Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) at Makerere University. He is married to Stella Namatovu, and they have four children.

Filmography Year Movie/Film Role Notes 1994 Fires of Hope 1996 Ultimatum 1998 Frontiers of Hell 2000-2004 Ensitano (The Scuffle) Television Soap by Afri-Talent on WBS TV. 2002 Omo Pick A Box (Himself - Host) TV show 2005 Sometimes in April Colonel Bagosora HBO Television film directed by Raul Peck 2006 The Last King of Scotland Masanga Hollywood film directed by Kevin Macdonald 2007 The Good Life (Himself - Host) TV Health Show2008 Strength of a Stranger Directed by Mariam Ndagire White Light/The Silent Army Michel Obeke South African film Stand Up Uganda (Himself - Judge) MNET Africa TV Comedy show 2009 Hearts in Pieces Directed by Mariam Ndagire 2017 Bella A Matt Bish directed film 2018 The Mercy of the Jungle Major A Rwandan genocide film directed by Joel Karekezi 2019 Imperial Blue John Directed by Dan Moss 2020 Kafa Coh Golomadi An Amani Film House film. 2021 Sanyu TV series on Pearl Magic Prime.2023Case ClosedShort