Among briefs Parliament on Speaker Oulanyah’s health

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, yesterday  briefed   the House on the health of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.

Ms Among also asked the legislators to disregard the social media claims that the Speaker was critically sick or dead. 

During the afternoon plenary session, Ms Among said: “As you are aware, Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Mr Oulanyah, has been unwell for the last two weeks. During this period, he was receiving medical attention from Mulago National Referral Hospital.” 

She added: “The medical experts in consultation with his personal doctors outside Mulago, referred him for specialised medical attention out of the country.”

Although Ms Among did not  reveal which hospital the Speaker is receiving treatment from, unconfirmed reports indicate that Mr Oulanyah is admitted to a specialised hospital in Seattle, US. 

“Forget about social media. What is there is not the reality. I spoke to  Mr Oulanyah  even right before I came to the House (yesterday). He is in a good mood, and I told him that ‘ I am going to tell your members.’ He only told me to tell you (legislators), ‘I love them’ ,  ”Ms Among said. 

She added: “So, the social media (claims) of saying Rest in Peace Oulanyah that is just lugambo (gossip). That is the act of the devil, which we shall not allow.” 

The deputy Speaker  did not also provide any information about Mr Oulanyah’s  means of travel. Previously, reports claimed that  Uganda Airlines Bus A330-800 neo with the registration code 5X-NIL flew all the way to the United States, for the first time, specifically to take the ailing Speaker at a cost of $500,000 (about Shs1.7b). 

Ms Among said Mr Oulanyah travelled out of the country for treatment on February 4. Meanwhile, this is not the first time the Speaker’s absence has raised concern in the House.

In July 2021, a section of legislators tasked the Deputy Speaker to explain the whereabouts of Mr Oulanyah upon  realising that he had missed presiding over several sittings.

At the time Mr  Oulanyah had not been seen in the public for close to two months since his election into the Speakership position in May 2021.

Later in July, the Speaker came out to dispute claims that he had been ill saying he was away on a private visit to his family. 

The Speaker then chaired a few sessions at Parliament including the passing of the of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Bill, which okayed the mid-term access to members’ savings. 

Speaker Oulanyah was last seen in at public on December 17  last year.
Mr Thomas Tayebwa, the Government Chief Whip, thanked Ms Among for clarifying on the issues surrounding the Speaker’s health.

“We want to join you as colleagues here to pray for our Speaker,” he said. 
He also applauded Ms Among for working diligently during the absence of the Speaker. 

“I remember the last time when he had returned (still from treatment), he told us that the moment we work as we are in this House, then we will ensure that work goes on even in case one of us gets indisposed. So, I want to thank you for leading this House. I am very sure where Rt Hon Jacob is, he will take his time to heal and become fine because there is no vacuum in this House.”