Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, one of Rwanda’s most respected diplomats and former Mayor of Kigali, has died at the age of 61 after a prolonged illness.
She passed away on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, while serving as Head of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), a role she had held since February 2023 following her appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Her passing has drawn tributes from leaders across Africa and the world. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed his “deepest condolences” to her family, the people of Rwanda, and the international community.
He described her as “a steadfast leader whose dedication made a lasting contribution to Somalia’s stability and prosperity.
“We are saddened by the loss of Her Excellency Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira. She was a person who loved others and dedicated her life to building bridges between people, from Kigali to the United Nations,” said Souef Mohamed El-Amine, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Kacyira’s career spanned more than three decades, combining political leadership, diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development work at local, national, and international levels.
Before her tenure at UNSOS, she represented Rwanda as High Commissioner to Ghana, with concurrent accreditation to Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia.
Nationally, she served as a Member of Rwanda’s Parliament from 2003 to 2006, contributing to legislative oversight and community mobilization. She was appointed Mayor of Kigali in 2006, a position she held until 2011.
Under her stewardship, the Rwandan capital won the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award in 2008 for its cleanliness, safety, and pro-poor urban development initiatives, including affordable housing and employment programmes.
Briefly in 2011, she was Governor of the Eastern Province before joining the international arena in a senior UN role.
From 2011 to 2018, Kacyira served as Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary-General of UN-Habitat, where she championed sustainable urbanization and inclusive governance.
She was widely recognized for her work in building urban resilience and advancing housing opportunities for vulnerable communities. Her earlier career also included agricultural development and humanitarian work with Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Oxfam, and Care International.
A strong advocate for leadership rooted in service, Kacyira once reflected on her life’s mission, saying, “My mission in life is not so much about self-advancement as it is about driving change for the people I serve.”
That ethos was evident in every role she undertook, from shaping urban policies to supporting peace operations in Somalia.
At UNSOS, she oversaw the delivery of critical logistical and operational support to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and other UN operations in the country.
The Somali presidency praised her “unwavering commitment” in guiding the mission’s work, which plays a vital role in Somalia’s security and recovery.
Kacyira was also active in leadership networks, serving as President of the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities, President of the East African Association of Local Government Authorities, and Vice President of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa.
She held a Master of Veterinary Science in Animal Production and Economics from James Cook University in Australia and a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from Makerere University in Uganda.
Beyond her public roles, Kacyira was a devoted wife and mother of four children. Friends and colleagues remember her as a trailblazer who inspired women in leadership and a visionary who never lost sight of the communities she served.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course, but tributes continue to pour in from across the globe for a leader whose legacy of service, diplomacy, and dedication to humanity will endure far beyond her lifetime.
