Veteran journalist and former legislator in the sixth Parliament, Francis Ekomoloit Onapito, is dead.
The former Amuria County MP and regular panelist on KFM was announced dead on Friday morning after a short illness.
He was aged 58.
“On behalf of the Teso community and the country at large, I hereby announce with deep sadness and pain [the] demise of our brother, Hon. Onapito Ekomoloit (RIP), a veteran journalist and former Member of Parliament for Amuria County… The rest of the details will be communicated later,” the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM ) national vice chairman for Eastern Uganda, Mike Mukula, posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The Director, Communication and Public Affairs at Parliament, Chris Obore, a close friend eulogized Onapito as a humble gentleman who was intellectually exposed.
“An icon. A gentleman. Humble. Traditionally grounded. Intellectually exposed. Teso did not deserve to lose you. It sucks & hurts. Onapito Ekomoloit!” he posted.
He served as a university lecturer and member of boards of several companies, including Nile Breweries where he once served as Legal and Corporate Affairs Director for 17 years and MTN Uganda Foundation Board of Trustees, among others.
At his sendoff ceremony from Nile Breweries last year, EX-trade minister Ms Amelia Kyambadde, who worked with Onapito at State House when she was the President’s principal private secretary, described him as an incredible and diligent individual.
“Despite the absence of technology at that time, Ona consistently managed to deliver news updates whenever we were in remote areas. Ona is a reserved person who does not engage in idle chatter. When approached with a question, he takes the time to evaluate before providing any response,” she noted.
