Greater North MPs set conditions for Speaker race, Oulanyah burial
Speaker Jacob Oulanyah chairs a session at Parliament recently. He was announced dead on March 20, 2022 Photo/David Lubowa
What you need to know:
- On Sunday, President Museveni announced the death of the Speaker of Parliament, who had gone to the US to seek specialised medical care.
Members of the Greater North Parliamentary Forum have come up with resolutions for the government to consider during the ongoing Speaker race and preparations for the burial of Jacob Oulanyah.
On Sunday, President Museveni announced the death of the Speaker of Parliament, who had gone to the US to seek specialised medical care.
The forum consists of leaders from the Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions.
The resolutions were announced during a press conference at Parliament yesterday.
One of the resolutions that the forum suggested for the election of a new Speaker is that the position be reserved for northern Uganda.
“The Speakership position was given to us (Greater North) [but] we have not yet served. We have just started and, therefore, there is need for continuity so that northern Uganda can continue serving the people of Uganda in that position,” Mr Samuel Acuti Opio (Kole North County MP) said.
Mr Opio said the Greater North Parliamentary Forum has endorsed some of its members to contest in the Speaker election.
“Our position is that if CEC (Central Executive Committee) fails to select any names from the region, we have agreed (as Greater North) that we shall not turn up to vote for [a new] Speaker. Instead, we shall continue mourning our brother, Oulanyah,” he said.
The forum also suggested the need for the National Organising Committee headed by the Minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, to work with them to accord Oulanyah a befitting send-off.
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The committee is in charge of preparing for the burial of Oulanyah.
“We have observed that whereas the National Organising Committee has been making arrangements [using the] top to bottom approach, there are challenges and gaps that have not been considered including the cultural inclusions that should be noted, the geographical peculiarities, and the people of the three sub-regions,” Mr Opio said.
He added: “Therefore, we are asking for a harmonisation meeting today (with the National Organising Committee) where we shall look at a number of items including greater participation of our locals, cultural institutions, local governments and religious leaders that are based in these three sub-regions.”
Mr Opio said the ongoing arrangements should not only be limited to burial plans but also continue catering for the needs of mourners after the deceased has been laid to rest.
Mr Lawrence Biyika Songa (Ora County MP) urged the members involved in the planning of the burial not to misuse the money allocated to them.
“He (Oulanyah) respected everyone and, therefore, needs to be given a decent burial with respect, so our appeal should be done without corruption,” he said.
