President Yoweri Museveni has directed that Uganda’s most prolific voluntary blood donor, retired Lt Col Eng. John Baptist Egesa, be accorded an official burial with full military honours.

Minister for the Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda announced the decision, stating that the President granted the national honour in recognition of Egesa’s distinguished service to the nation. A hybrid National Organising Committee with family representation has been constituted to handle the funeral arrangements.

Burial is scheduled for Sunday, 1 November 2026, in Busia District. The programme will include a gun salute as part of the military honours.

Lt Col Egesa, a former Chief Engineer of the Uganda Air Force, died on 24 October 2026 at the age of 79. Born on 18 September 1947 in Makunda Masaba, Buchirayi Village in Busia, he was a life member of both the Uganda Red Cross Society and the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services.

He is widely remembered as one of Uganda’s most consistent and celebrated voluntary blood donors, as well as a soldier, educator, diplomat and leader whose life embodied courage, duty and service.

“Egesa will be remembered as a soldier, educator, diplomat and leader whose life embodied courage, duty and service to Uganda,” Babalanda said in a statement released through the Uganda Media Centre.