Veteran journalist and former Presidential Press Secretary, Onapito Ekomoloit has died.
The news of his passing was announced on Friday by National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairman for Eastern Uganda, Mike Mukula.
“On behalf of the Teso community and the country at large, I hereby announce with deep sadness and pain the demise of our brother Onapito Ekomoloit, a veteran journalist and former Member of Parliament for Amuria County. The rest of the details will be communicated later,” Mukula shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Ekomoloit was a well-known political commentator who regularly appeared on several political programmes in the media but also served as the Legal and Corporate Affairs Director at Nile Breweries Limited.
A number of politicians, journalists, and others who crossed paths with him expressed their condolences and paid tribute to the late veteran journalist on social media.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among expressed her sorrow in a post: “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 Kaguta Museveni, his family, friends, the press fraternity, the Nile Breweries family, and the Teso community. May his soul rest in peace.”
Veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda also paid tribute.
“I’ve heard the news of the death of Onapito Ekomoloit with sadness. He was my lecturer at Makerere University, editor at Monitor, friend, and fellow panelist on KFM’s Hot Seat. A brilliant intellectual with a realistic approach to politics, he inspired us all with his wit. May his soul rest in peace.”
Don Wanyama, CEO of Vision Group, echoed similar sentiments: “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 favour.”