Francis Onapito Ekomoloit spoke quietly but emphatically. He also had an infectious smile. Those who worked with him say he rarely raised his voice however heated an argument became.
As a panelist on various talk shows, his submissions have been thoughtful, informed by decades of being within the inner ring of power.
Ona, as he was popularly known, served briefly as MP for Amuria after Gen Jeje Odongo resigned the seat to become army commander in 1998.
Yet he managed to table a Constitutional Amendment Bill that sought to amend Article 113 of the Constitution to stop ministers from doubling as MPs. The bill, seconded by Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, needed the support of 187 MPs but failed to sail through after it garnered support of only 72 members.
In 2001 he was defeated in Amuria and after a year in the cold, President Museveni appointed him press secretary.
His appointment was met with mixed feelings, especially from the media fraternity. journalists. Some argued that Onapito, who had been a fiercely independent journalist, had sold his soul. Others believed he was the right person for the job given his experience as a senior journalist and media manager.
As Museveni’s mouthpiece, he was laid back and kept a safe distance from the political noise. By 2006, it had become apparent that he could not properly function in a system that rewarded noise makers.
Unlike many people who have served in the role, Onapito rarely replied Museveni’s critics. He worked more like a bureaucrat content to put in the usual shift.
This did not please some people close to the president who started openly doubting his allegiance. In his book, Tears and Triumph: My life with Yoweri Museveni and Others, he wrote about these machinations.
He recalled an abrupt meeting called by an angry Museveni to establish why The New Vision had splashed a photo of Dr Besigye’s massive rally on the cover page in 2006.
He said some people blamed him because he was incharge of the Presidential Press Unit, which they accused of being sluggish. “Some people said I was not a true Kisanja enthusiast and before I could say anything the president stood up and walked away,” he wrote.
In November 2006 having had enough of the fights, he resigned and joined Nile Breweries as Corporate and Legal Affairs Manager. He served in that role until 2023 when he retired to become chairman of the board.
Firm
Yet his humble demeanor often masked Ona’s rebellious streak.
In 1995, he led a rebellion at Daily Monitor, leading him to walk away with other reporters and found The Crusader. Some of the Monitor founders, especially Kevin Aliro were livid and went on to write scathing articles about how entitled Onapito had become. “He wanted to be treated like a boss,” Aliro wrote.
By this time, he was also teaching a journalism class at Makerere University. Unfortunately for Onapito, The Crusader which instantly became popular was short-lived after it ran into financial headwinds.
Even when he left active journalism, his heart and passion remained there.
In 2005, he authored an interesting article for The Observer, chronicling President Museveni’s 1000 KM journey from Rwakitura to Juba to go and bury Col John Garang, South Sudan’s rebel leader.
The story was rich in detail and described the challenges that Museveni’s convoy encountered on the way.
Till his death, Onapito continued engaging and mentoring young journalists. That is why in the wake of his death, many journalists have eulogized him as one of the people who inspired them to join the trade.
Wherever he has gone, Onapito will keep his ear on the ground like the avid journalist he was.
