In loving memory of Denis Ocwich

Denis was a colleague of mine while we studied for the Global Journalism degree at Örebro University. He came from Uganda. Denis lived a very modest student life and was 100% focused on his career, which translated well after his graduation, as he was appointed a teacher at Makarere University in Kampala, Uganda and later a part time professorship at Rhodes University in South Africa.

Denis died suddenly of a multi-organ failure last week.

He was a gentleman beyond explanation, he respected himself a lot and everyone around him, and lived with much integrity. I was happy to visit him once and cook together with a third acquaintance (whom he had a bit of a crush on). And we also shared room for two nights out in the countryside, and one night on a boat en route to Finland. Denis loved his colleagues unconditionally, and he shall be forever in our thoughts.

This is the news item about his death, written in the Sunday Monitor of Uganda:

Mak don dies in South Africa

Peter Nyanzi

Kampala

Mr Denis Ocwich, an award winning journalist and lecturer at Makerere University, has died in South Africa. He was 35.
Mr Ocwich, who was in the second year of his PhD programme in Journalism at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, died of an undisclosed cause on Sunday after one week of illness.

In an email sent to his guardian on Monday, Prof. Gavin Staude, the warden of the Gavin Relly Postgraduate Village where he resided, said authorities at the Settlers Hospital declined to disclose the cause of death saying it was “confidential” and could only be told to family members.

“I had seen him during the last week when he said he was not feeling very well. I took him to the Rhodes Sanatorium and when I saw him the next day, he said he was feeling better,” reads Prof. Staude’s email in part.

Update: We just recieved news that Denis' body was laid to rest in his home town. Thanks to all who contributed financially and emotionally to make this possible! May he rest in peace...