Mbarara City North MP Dr. Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari on Tuesday afternoon joined fellow legislators in paying his final respects to his fallen comrade, and former Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah.
During a special plenary session chaired by speaker Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, in honor of the fallen Speaker Emeritus, Dr Rukaari described Oulanyah as a person who sacrificed his life, beyond his mental and physical limit, to ensure the progression of his legislative role.
Mr Rukaari who like Oulanyah is a member of the Central Executive Committee of the National Resistance Movement also said he had been friends with the late speaker for at least 32 years. Representative of the Entrepreneurs League in CEC said he had been doing business with Oulanyah and lauded the efforts to start the Jacob Oulanyah Education Foundation to help educate his children. Hon Rukaari was appointed one of the directors of the fund alongside Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, Speaker Anita Annet Among, Norbert Mao, Francis Gimara, Frank Nigel Otiembi, Stephen Kajubi Ssepuuya, Francis Emuna and Stella Laker Ayoo-Adongo.
Rukaari said the former speaker who he met at Makerere University, would never show that he was unwell in public, adding that he was so strong during his illness although he never showed it.
“What I have heard from colleagues and other people is that Jacob Oulanyah had self-sacrifice like a saviour,” said Rukaari, while lauding his very long time close friend, who he revealed was a business associate.
In the afternoon, Parliament commenced the process of hailing the contribution of the former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, towards the legislative agenda in parliament since 2001.
Many legislators used the special sitting to greatly commend the fallen speaker for his outspoken character in executing his roles, an indicator that a great lover of white matching bow ties (Oulanyah) will be greatly missed.
Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring said Oulanyah was a peace maker in antagonistic situations, while Health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng read out the much anticipated medical report on the ailments of the fallen leader from Omoro county. Dr Aceng said Jacob Oulanyah’s ill health started way back in 2019. The health minister said Oulanyah discovered a swelling in the neck, and then sought medical attention in Germany, where it was removed and told it was cancer.
According to Aceng, Oulanyah started treating cancer at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), before then visiting several other hospitals for the same cause.
On January 23, he was admitted to Mulago, where he was to stay for two weeks, in preparation for his travel abroad for gene therapy treatment. However, he was flown to Seattle in Washington DC on February 3 where he was pronounced dead on 20 March 20 due to multiple organ failure (lungs, heart, kidney, liver).
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