Authorities have confirmed that one pilgrim Ronald Ojok perished after traveling more than 290 kilometers from Gulu to reach Namugongo in the Wakiso District for the yearly June 3 Martyrs’ Day.
Before Ronald Ojok was declared dead in Luwero District on Thursday, he was among roughly 250 pilgrims from Northern Uganda, according to Aswa County MP Simon Peter Wokorach.
“On a sad note, we lost a young man who passed away from Janani Luwum Memorial Secondary School, Bombo campus in Bombo, where we had camped for a night. He died at around midday on Monday,” the legislator narrated.
According to Wokorach, Ojok started feeling sick as they got closer to Luwero District, so they decided to take him to Emus Health Centre II for a checkup. It was determined that he had malaria.
According to Wokorach, the Bombo Hospital medical staff arrived on the scene quickly and transported the deceased to the hospital’s mortuary for a postmortem.
“After receiving the medication, he improved and we came with him up to our camp at Janani Luwum memorial school in Bombo. While at the camp, the condition worsened. He started vomiting and convulsing and passed on a few minutes past midday,” he added.
Wokorach stated that the body was still in the mortuary. It is scheduled to be sent to Nwoya District on the 3rd of June. According to tentative burial plans, Ronald Ojok will be laid to rest on June 5 in Nwoya District’s Koch-lii Village, his ancestral home.
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Meanwhile, more than 2.5 million people are anticipated to attend this year’s Martyr’s Day celebrations, the majority of them hikers from neighboring East African nations like Uganda. Police has already ensured maximum security for the big day.
