While addressing the media at the party headquarters in Kampala on Wednesday, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party president Jimmy Akena has urged all Ugandans to ensure that they exhibit a sense of unity and dignity as they mourn the death of the speaker
With news of his death reaching the country, a lot of tensions had sparked off with leaders from different sects pointing fingers and exchanging words.
For Akena however, being a leader that he was describing him as committed to protecting liberty, equal justice, and respect for the dignity of all Ugandans it was only befitting that Ugandans paid the much respect that is deserved during is last rights.
Akena adds that Oulayah was a highly articulated legislator with a big heart, a sense of humor, open-minded and diplomatic in addition to being a consummate lawmaker and debater who was always ready to accommodate the views of others.
“As the body arrives into the country on 1st April 2022, and laid to rest on 8th April 2022, UPC calls upon the people of Uganda to exhibit unity and mourn the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya with dignity and togetherness as a country. The Rt. Hon. was a man that brought people together, he was the unifying factor wherever he went,” Akena said.
UPC party president equally noted that as their former member, the party was deeply saddened by the demise of the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, the Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda, which occurred on Sunday 20th March 2022 in Seattle, Washington United States of America.
He notes that before joining politics, Oulayah was a farmer with a degree in Agricultural economics and undertook a lot of research in increasing agricultural productivity in the country he later pursued a second-degree course in Law at Makerere University and upon graduating preceded to Law Development Center (LDC) for a diploma to practice law, hereafter ventured to open up an advocate firm in Kampala that is existing and delivering legal services to a number of Ugandans.
In 2001, he entered politics by winning the no-party system, commonly known as the Movement Political System. He was an Uganda People’s Congress cardholder (UPC) and stood for re-election in 2006 to represent the people of Omoro and lost.
Since then he represented the people of Omoro in the 9th, 10th, and 11th Parliament and served the Parliament of Uganda as the Deputy Speaker until 2021 when he was elected the speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda which office he held until his demise. He was also elected NRM Vice Chairman Northern Region.
According to UPC, Oulayah was a social, religious, and sportsman, who built relations as a student leader and an activist of special distinction at Makerere University and was elected as a speaker of the students’ guild; worked hand in hand with the church in handling the mortgage for Church House in Kampala and also a member of the Uganda Bikers’ Association (UBA) who participated in a number of rides organized by the association. I personally have lost a true Comrade, brother, and friend, with whom we have been members of the Uganda Bikers Association and shared moments of solidarity.
“In the passing on of Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, the country has lost a mentor, adviser, sportsman, and an intellectual who provided guidance and advice whenever called upon to do so,” Akena concluded.
Adding, On behalf of the Uganda Peoples Congress and on my own behalf, I offer my thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya; the Government, Parliament, the people of Acholi, the entire UPC fraternity, and the people of Uganda.
