Oulanyah’s children, Lumumba speak out

Mourners yesterday flooded the home of fallen Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah who died in the United States where he was taken for medical care in February.

Addressing mourners in Muyenga, Kampala, Mr Andrew Ojok, one of the eight children Oulanyah is survived by, said his father was a man who believed in fighting injustices.

“He would say, stand up and speak up. Speak up to injustices, speak up to unfairness. He would tell us that we are our brothers and sisters’ keepers. That we are Stronger together. He would tell us to stick closer than ever,” he said.

“He would tell us to remember the ubuntu principal that I am because you are. I am a son because he is a father. I am a brother because you are a sister. Without you I am not a community. In all things I am just a servant,” he added.

Mr Ojok who has been fronted by the family and friends to replace his father as Omoro MP, said his father was highly focused who believed there is nothing impossible.

“He would tell us to keep our eyes on the ball. (That) There will be so many distractions but you should keep your eyes on the ball. We have a common goal, we know what we want. We have the end goal in focus. He would say count on the Lord because he knows it best. We can never pretend that we know it,” he said.

“There are those who will curse God, those who will curse all the relatives and those who will curse those attended to him. I think this is one of the most important. He (our father) would say do the right thing, the right way at the right time,” he added.

Ms Diana Aceng, another daughter of the fallen speaker who is a nurse in Arizona, applauded her father’s close friend, Patricia Lakidi, who stood so closely with his father as they took care of him jointly in hospital in the United States.

“I am a nurse and my duty is to advocate for patients but the way you did it....you stood along with Dad. We cried we held hands. You encouraged me and I encouraged you, we took turns to sleep for a short while. You stood by my father until he took his last breath. You are not just my aunt, you my mother,” she said.

On the other hand, Ezra Oulanyah said: “My father has always been very supportive of anything that I wanted to to do in my life. I am unable to appreciate him enough for everything he has done for me. For all the sacrifices he made for me. He has touched many lives.”

The minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba, told mourners that Oulanyah was a unifier who worked beyond the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

“I thank the people of Omoro for offering us Hon Jacob Lokori Oulanyah. To you he was just a son, a father. But when you sent him to Parliament the NRM under the leadership of his Excellency President Museveni saw in him a leader. A leader who would unity and who would unite Uganda. And this has been demonstrated at his death,” she said.

“NRM helped him fulfil his dream. I want to thank MPs, both those in NRM and Opposition. When he crossed to NRM, he didn’t look back. I encourage you politicians that when you cross to another political party please stand strong,” she added.