Two months later, Ona will finally lay to rest this Saturday

Celebrated former journalist and chairman of the Board of Nile Breweries Ltd, Francis Onapito Ekomoloit succumbed to lung cancer just within two months after diagnosis.

Ona as he was fondly known passed away on September 27, 2024 and will finally be laid to rest this Saturday, November 30 as per his death wishes that included the construction of a mausoleum for his embalmed body. The mausoleum construction took over 21 days to complete.

While recounting the medical history of her brother at St Peter’s Cathedral in Soroti city, Dr Alice Acabat Oriokot revealed that Onapito underwent regular medical check-ups, emphasizing that his most recent medical examination, conducted in Botswana on March 27, 2024, showed no signs of illness.

"He was somebody who was always going for his medical check-ups annually. He had the usual medical check-up in Botswana. We did the scan, the x-ray for the chest, the blood test, and cancer screening, and everything was okay before he returned for his duties," Acabat said.

She explained that Onapito maintained an active healthy lifestyle, walking at least four kilometres every morning, and had no health complaints until mid-July when he experienced a burning pain in his neck and discomfort while sleeping. Upon learning about these symptoms, Acabat advised him to seek medical attention promptly. 

Initial tests conducted in Soroti revealed that Onapito, fondly known as Ona, had lung cancer.

"He drove to Kampala to see his doctors at Kampala Hospital, where more tests were conducted. The samples were taken for testing, and after two weeks, the results confirmed the existence of cancer in the lungs," she recounted. 

Acabat further shared that Onapito sought advanced diagnostics at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, undergoing Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) to assess blood vessels and blood flow. Despite his diagnosis, she noted that Onapito remained remarkably resilient, even chairing a Zoom meeting the day after starting chemotherapy on August 19. 

He continued his routine daily walks in his village in Wera, Amuria district, until his health declined around September 20. Medical experts recalled him to Kampala for further management, but he passed away two days later at Kampala Hospital. Rev. Emmanuel Elianu, the vicar of St. Peter’s Cathedral, described Onapito as a dedicated Christian who actively supported the church.

Mary Karoro Okurut, Onapito’s lecturer at Makerere University and predecessor as President Museveni's press secretary, lauded his intelligence, creativity, and compassion.

"He had a caring heart for other people, and I stand here to tell you that his presence and his coming into State House rebranded the State House image up to now. Ona, who is now lying here changed the face of the press office of the State House forever positively," said Okurut.

Onapito, 58, will be laid to rest at his ancestral home in Asalatap, Wera town council, Amuria district this Saturday. At the time of his passing, he was the chairman of the Board of Nile Breweries Ltd, where he previously served as director of legal and corporate affairs for 17 years. 

Onapito’s career included roles as the presidential press secretary, member of parliament for Amuria County, and journalist. He co-founded The Crusader newspaper in 1995 with a team of colleagues, leaving an indelible mark on Uganda’s media landscape.