Renowned veteran journalist and former MP of Amuria county, Francis Ekomoloit Onapito, has been pronounced dead.
The news of the passing on of the former MP, who was also a regular panelist on various media platforms, was broken by Captain Mike Mukula, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Vice Chairman of Eastern Uganda, on Friday morning, September 27, 2024.
Mike Mukula said that the rest of the details regarding Onapito’s death and burial arrangements will be communicated at a later time.
“On behalf of the Teso community and the country at large, I hereby announce the deep sadness and pain of the demise of our brother, Hon. Onapito Okomoloit (RIP), a veteran journalist and former Member of Parliament for Amuria county…the rest of the details will be communicated later,” Mukula posted on his X handle.
According to the Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Annet Anita Among, Onapito served in the 6th Parliament, representing Amuria county, and was a former press secretary to President Museveni. She commended his contribution to the country.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our brother Onapito Ekomoloit. He was a journalist of excellence, a former Press Secretary to the President, and a former MP. His honest and humble contributions to our country speak for themselves. My heartfelt sympathies go out to President Kaguta Museveni, his family, friends, the press fraternity, the Nile Breweries family, and the Teso community. May his soul rest in peace,” she posted on her X handle.
Don Wanyama, the Chief Executive Officer of Vision Group, eulogized Onapito as a good, knowledgeable, respectful, and humble man who he learned from a couple of things.
“Ndugu Onapito Ekomoloit was a good man. Deeply knowledgeable, respectful, and humble. It was always a learning experience the couple of times our paths crossed. We mourn with his family, the people of Teso, and the media fraternity. May his ancestors receive him with favor,” he posted.
Onapito served as a university lecturer and board member of many companies, including Nile Breweries, where he once served for 17 years as the Legal and Corporate Affairs Director.
Upon retirement from Nile Breweries in June 2023, he was instead appointed as the Board Chairman at the same company, a position he has passed away holding.