Former presidential secretary Onapito Ekomuloit dead

Former presidential spokesperson, Francis Onapito Ekomuloit is dead. The former member of parliament who was reportedly previously diagnosed with cancer passed away on Friday.

It was not immediately clear what caused his death. Ona, as he has been fondly known by his friends, has been the chairperson of the board of Nile Breweries Limited. 

He was among the pioneer journalist students at Makerere University where he also taught for some years. He was also among the first journalism graduates to work in a media house. He first worked for The Monitor (now Daily Monitor) where he rose to the position of editor before breaking away to start his own newspaper The Crusader. 

In 1998, Ona, contested in a by-election for Amuria county member of parliament which he won. However, in the general election of 2001, he was defeated. 

In 2002, he was appointed by President Yoweri Museveni as his press secretary, a position he occupied up to 2006 before joining Nile Breweries as its corporate affairs manager. 

Before his death, he served as the chairperson of its board. Ona has been a regular panellist on radio and television. He is survived by a wife and children.