It was a sad day for the journalism fraternity and people of Kihumuro Central Ward Nyamunuuka Town Council Ntungamo District as news of the death of veteran journalist and former RDC Lyantondde Sulaiman Tiguragara Matojo Ssalongo struck.
Tiguragara who collapsed on Friday and was rushed to Mulago Hospital is said to have succumbed to COVID-19.
He joined Radio Uganda in 1984 before becoming the Radio West 100.2 FM’s first manager when it launched in 1999. After leaving Radio West, President Museveni appointed Tiguragara as the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Lyantonde District.
At the time of his death, Tiguragara was a political talk show host on Crooze FM based in Mbarara City. He also taught at Kemishego Primary School in 1984 before joining the media.
A former workmate of the late at Radio Uganda from 1988 – 1996 who is also the General Manager Radio Ankole Ntungamo, Mr. Elliott Kabangira Magande described him as humble, knowledgeable and an advisor to his subordinates.
The Head of News department at Vision Group Mbarara Fred Mugira described the late Tiguragara who has been an icon in the journalism community especially Western Uganda where he mentored many journalists and they passed through him to get jobs.
The fallen journalist has been eulogized by friends in journalism as a trustworthy and jolly good man who made friends across the board.
According to Hajji Kasimu Murekura, a friend to the family of late Tiguragara Jamir the father to Matojo Salongo, he was well disciplined and hard working.
Nohu Sebwami, the classmate of late Matojo Salongo at Kemishego PS in 1972 said that he was a brilliant man who normally excelled in class.
The paternal Uncle Stephen Kamugye described the deceased as generous and who loved his parents and respects the elders.
According to the brother of deceased Ramathan Tiguragara who is an Engineer of Mbarara City, he was head of the family, father and brother who nurtured them after the death of their father late Tiguragara Jamir in 2000.
He revealed that tentatively, the late Sulaiman Tiguragara Matojo Ssalongo will be buried on Thursday this week in Kihumuro Central Ward Nyamunuuka Town Council Ntungamo District.
The Nyamunuuka Town Council Chairperson Sadarah Kaibanda Kahindi said that the deceased used to lobby jobs for unemployed youth from Kajara County and Nyamunuuka Town Council in particular.
Tiguragara, 67 years, left one wife and two children that are a girl and boy.
