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Uganda’s most prolific blood donor Lt Col Egesa to be given official burial
Lt Col Egesa, a retired military officer and the former Chief Engineer of the Uganda Air Force, has been a life member of the Uganda Red Cross Society and Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, and died earlier this week
Lt Col Eng. John Baptist Egesa. (Courtesy)
By: Wilfred Sanya, Journalist @New Vision
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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed that Uganda’s lifetime blood donor, Lt Col Eng. John Baptist Egesa, be accorded an official burial.
Records indicate that e has donated blood 156 times and is estimated to have saved at least 4,500 people.
Lt Col Egesa, a retired military officer and the former Chief Engineer of the Uganda Air Force, has been a life member of the Uganda Red Cross Society and Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, and died earlier this week
Records indicate that he is one of Uganda's most celebrated voluntary blood donors.
On Friday, the Minister of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, using social media X, announced that the President had granted the national honour in recognition of his service to the nation.
The minister said that she has constituted a hybrid National Organising Committee with representation from the family to execute the funeral programme, with burial scheduled for Sunday, November 1, in Busia.
Born on September 18, 1947, in Makunda Masaba, Buchirayi Village, Busia District, Col Eng. John Baptist Egesa died on October 24, 2026.
“In recognition of his distinguished service to the nation, the deceased Lt Col Colonel will be accorded an Official Burial with a gun salute as part of the military honours accorded to him.
On Friday, the Minister of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, using social media X, announced that the President had granted the national honour in recognition of his service to the nation.
The minister said that she has constituted a hybrid National Organising Committee with representation from the family to execute the funeral programme, with burial scheduled for Sunday, November 1, in Busia.
Born on September 18, 1947, in Makunda Masaba, Buchirayi Village, Busia District, Col Eng. John Baptist Egesa died on October 24, 2026.
“In recognition of his distinguished service to the nation, the deceased Lt Col Colonel will be accorded an Official Burial with a gun salute as part of the military honours accorded to him.
Egesa will be remembered as a soldier, educator, diplomat and leader whose life embodied courage, duty and service to Uganda, " Babalanda revealed in a statement released by Uganda Media Centre.
Close sources described Egesa as a disciplined man, with compassionate service and dedication in his military engineering career.
In one of the press interviews of his lifetime, Egesa revealed that he started donating blood in 1966, at the age of 19.
At the time, he was a student at St Joseph's Seminary, Nyenga in Buikwe district.
Egesa is survived by his nine children and many others whose lives he touched throughout his long and distinguished life of service.
Close sources described Egesa as a disciplined man, with compassionate service and dedication in his military engineering career.
In one of the press interviews of his lifetime, Egesa revealed that he started donating blood in 1966, at the age of 19.
At the time, he was a student at St Joseph's Seminary, Nyenga in Buikwe district.
Egesa is survived by his nine children and many others whose lives he touched throughout his long and distinguished life of service.