Hajji Suleiman Barasa Ogajjo, one of the long-serving Resident District Commissioners (RDC) in Uganda, has died.

 The 68-year-old seasoned RDC succumbed to high blood pressure.

 Ogajjo’s health deteriorated upon his return from the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, where all RDCs, RCCs and their deputies were convened recently.

RDC Hajji Suleiman Barasa Ogajjo (center) receiving Covid-19 relief items from World Vision in 2020 while he served as Mbale RCC. Photo By Leonard Mukhooli

 The family rushed him to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, where he was put on life support at Masaba Wing.

Owing to his life-threatening condition, on Friday, (August 12), Ogajjo was referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital for further management.

 Upon arrival, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, where he passed on early Tuesday (August 16) at around 5am.

 Ogajjo’s tour of duty  

Ogajjo was born in 1954 in the Uganda-Kenya border district of Busia.

 He joined local politics in the 1990s, serving in several positions, before becoming the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Busia district chairperson.

 President Yoweri Museveni, also the NRM chairman, noticed Ogajjo’s admirable leadership skills and appointed him RDC of Kole district.

From Kole, he was transferred to Mayuge district, where he served in the same position for a couple of years.

 Thereafter, Museveni shuffled his cards again and this time, Ogajjo was posted to the newly created Mbale City.

 By doing so, Ogajjo became the first-ever Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of the city situated on the slopes of Mount Elgon.  

 Alebtong district was his next workstation, where he spent his shortest career spell of one-and-a-half years.

 At the time of his death, Ogajjo was representing the President in the district of Namayingo.

 He will be laid to rest on Wednesday, August 17 at his ancestral home in Busia district.

The softspoken RDC will be remembered for his level-headed leadership approach anchored on honesty, integrity and results.

Ogajjo’s death comes just weeks after the passing of fellow RDC Nsereko Mutumba of Kayunga district.