Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Sunday shocked citizens after he announced about the death of parliament speaker Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah.
According Mr. Museveni, he received the news about the passing on of Jacob Oulanyah at around 10.30 in the morning but he delayed with the information so that the family could be informed first.
“Countrymen and Countrywomen. It is with a lot of sadness that I announce the death of the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, the Speaker of Parliament. I got information of this sad news at 10.30am, East African time from People that have been with him and the doctor that was caring for him in the intensive care unit. He was a good Cadre. I delayed the announcement so that his children would be informed first,” He announced.
However, Ugandans were too quick to dismiss president Yoweri Museveni at the comment section with most of them believing that Jacob Oulanyah died sometimes back as opposed to today.
These citizens wondered what was the big deal in announcing the death of speaker jacob Oulanyah and why the public was being kept in darkness until todat Sunday 20th March 2022.
Below are what the Ugandans said about the demise of their beloved speaker:
“The government likes lying there has been rumors that Jacob Oulanya died weeks ago. I think you have made the announcement today not because he died today but due to the pressure from we Ugandans to tell us the truth.”
“Even president Magufuli died long time ago in Kenya but the govenmrnt of Tanzania took time to inform the public. I highly belive that Jacob Oulanyah has been dead for weeks and not today.”
“We are not fools speaker jacob Oulanya died a long time ago but you kept us in darkness even after it was clear in the social media that he had died. We are really dissapointed in you plus the government.”
“Jacob died long time ago and i believe the government was just buying time so that the public anger cools down. I wonder what was so difficult in announcing this death the same day it occurred.”
According to the Monito r, Mr Oulanyah was last seen in Parliament in December 2021 and by that time, he had only chaired a few sessions including the passing of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Bill, which permitted the mid-term access to members’ savings. He was elected into the speakership position in May 2021.
He would then later be flown out of the country for treatment abroad on February 4, with reports claiming that the Uganda Airlines Bus A330-800 neo with registration code 5X-NIL was used to fly him to Seattle, Washington in the United States. The journey was estimated to have cost $500,000 (about Shs1.7b).
The Speaker’s journey and admission outraged a section of Ugandans living in the United States who protested against the trip as added by the monitor.
The demonstrations later forced some legislators from the Acholi Sub-region on February 9 to hold a press conference within the confines of Parliament to condemn the diaspora actions. The legislators even offered to refund the Shs1.7b.
Elected Speaker
Jacob Oulanyah was elected Speaker on May 24, 2021, after defeating the former Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga. He served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament from May 2011 until May 2021
Oulanyah was born in the then Gulu District, on March 23, 1965 to Nathan L’okori and Karen Atwon. He attended St. Joseph’s College Layibi, Dr Obote College Boroboro, and Kololo Senior Secondary School for his O-Level and A-Level education.
In 1988, he joined Makerere University, the oldest university in the East African Community, where he studied agricultural economics. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in that subject before he entered law school at Makerere University and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Laws degree.
He served as speaker of the university students’ guild during his stay at Makerere. In 1995, he attended the Law Development Centre (LDC), where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice.
Following his graduation from the LDC, Oulanyah worked as a lecturer at the centre. During the same timeframe, he began private law practice at the law firm of Oulanyah, Onoria & Company Advocates.
In 2001, he entered politics by successfully contesting for the parliamentary seat of Omoro County, in the then Gulu District under the no-party system also known as the Movement Political System. He was however a cardholder of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
He also participated in the peace talks between the government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels. In 2006, standing as a UPC candidate, he lost his re-election bid. In July 2006, he quit the UPC and joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM)
In 2008 he served as the chairman of the commission of inquiry into the controversial sub-lease of Kisekka Market, one of the municipal markets in the city of Kampala. In March 2011, Oulanyah was elected to represent Omoro County then in Gulu District, in the Ninth Parliament, this time on the NRM ticket. He was elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament on May 19, 2011.
Following the February 2016 general election, Oulanyah was re-elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament on May 19, 2016. In the vote conducted by secret ballot, he received 300 votes, while Muhammad Nsereko received 115. On July 13, 2019, Oulanyah was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by Zoe Life Theological College USA and acquired the title, Doctor enabling him be called Rt. Hon. Dr. Jacob L. Oulanyah
On May 24, 2021, Jacob Oulanyah was voted Speaker of Parliament in a race against his former boss, Kadaga and Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju. Jacob obtained 310 votes against Kadaga’s 197 and Ssemujju’s 15.
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