KAMPALA, UGANDA: The former Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga has penned down a heartful and emotional message mourning the death of her successor, Jacob Oulanyah.
Oulanyah, 57, died on Sunday morning in Seattle, United States where he had been hospitalized since early February this year battling an undisclosed illness.
Kadaga who headed the parliament for two terms with Oulanyah as his deputy described the latter as a “Key leader” the country has lost.
“At this trying moment, I send sincere condolences to the children, the mother and other members of Rt Hon Oulanyah s family as well as friends and relatives The NRM party, the Parliament and the Country have lost a key leader Condolences to HE the President,” Kadaga tweeted.
Oulanyah’s life
Jacob Oulanyah was on February 4th flown out of the country for treatment 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.
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.
The Omoro County MP (Omoro District) 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.
Joins politics
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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