Fr Lokodo was not breathing; Museveni mourns second government official in a week

Former Ethics and Integrity Minister Fr Simon Lokodo boarded the plane to Geneva, Switzerland, and booked his aisle and seat number, he went through all forms of checks as a traveling passenger, probably that last thing he would ever do on a plane.

On landing in Geneva, Lokodo heading the Universal Periodic Review team of Uganda started business. He is well known for his passion for whatever you will place him.

However, during a session on Thursday, Lokodo started losing grip of the schedule, and while at the UN offices, it is said that he presented his first scare- lost breath and exhibited an unusual body weakness.

He was gathered by members present and rushed to the hospital where he was admitted as an Intensive care Unit patient.

Doctors in Geneva ran many tests including one for COVID-19, which returned positive for multiple variants.

He was treated and seemed to be on a smooth road to recovery.

He remained charming and talkative on Friday and was upbeat to complete the program schedule, but his time was never going to be the same again.

Indeed, a few minutes to midnight on Friday, Fr Lokodo slipped out of control and he would remain so until he was pronounced dead on Saturday morning.

By the time of his death, Fr Lokodo had had several stints being admitted to different hospitals in critical condition. In 2018, he was admitted to Mulago in a very critical condition after he collapsed while on official duty in Kalangala.

He was consequently evacuated by air to Mulago Heart Institute where he was stabilised.

Lokodo would later in May 2019 be re-admitted at Mulago before his health condition necessitated his transfer to Aga Khan hospital in Kenya.

Museveni mourns second official in one week

Lokodo’s death comes moments before the burial of Uganda Central Bank governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile who passed on earlier this week.

Mutebile passed on in Nairobi where he had been attending medical treatment, hence Lokodo becomes the second government official to pass on in this one long week.

While mourning Lokodo, Museveni praised him for his aggression in enforcing culture as well as his firmness against immorality.