Speed up probe into Oulanyah poison claims, says Bobi Wine
Former UPC party president Olara Otunnu (left) and NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi (centre) during the meeting with elders of Acholi Chiefdom in Gulu District on April 9, 2022. PHOTO BY TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY
What you need to know:
- The former Speaker’s father has repeatedly said his son told him he was poisoned.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has called on the government to expedite investigations into the alleged poisoning of former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
Bobi Wine made the remarks in an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday shortly after meeting Mr Nathan Okori, the father of Oulanyah, at his home.
“I went there to pay tribute to the late Jacob but also condole with the family. I did not want to sound insensitive to him but his message of poisoning his son has been loud and clear, so we ask that let the investigations be done faster,” Bobi Wine said yesterday.
President Museveni announced Oulanyah’s death through his Twitter handle on March 20.
The news about the alleged poisoning of the Oulanyah was exclusively reported by this publication in the subsequent days with Mr Okori indicating that his son had told him that a man in Omoro and a woman in Kampala, whose names were concealed, had poisoned him.
While addressing legislators who gathered at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to pay tribute to Oulanyah, President Museveni said police would be deployed to investigate people who were fronting poison claims as the major cause of death for the deceased.
At the burial of Oulanyah on Friday last week, Mr Okori insisted that his son had been poisoned and hours later, police made a U-turn on their own statement saying they would investigate the matter.
READ: Inside Oulanyah’s battle with cancer
During his visit to Gulu Districtm, Bobi Wine also met Acholi Chiefdom administration at the chiefdom headquarters in Gulu City.
Bobi Wine was in the company of former Uganda People’s Congress president Dr Olara Otunu in whose home the musician-turned politician spent two nights.
“I am thankful to my elder Dr Olara because he has made me meet with many people but most importantly the family of Oulanyah,” he said.
“The issue of poisoning people who have the right conscience and speak their minds to the State has been whirling and it is time Ugandans demanded answers. This will not go in vain,” he added.
When contacted, Mr Ambrose Olaa, the Chiefdom prime minister, told the media that the meeting between Mr Kyagulanyi and the chiefdom was private and confidential and had nothing to do with the current political wave.
However, sources who participated in the meeting said reconciliation and forgiveness were the key issues shared.
“Mr Kyagulanyi intended to go and condole with the Oulanyah family but he couldn’t drive to Omoro directly without the blessing of the chiefdom,” a source, who participated in the meeting, said.
The source added: “Bobi Wine was particularly questioned why he had not come out publicly to condemn the NUP protests and attacks by his party members and some Baganda [against Oulanyah treatment], for which he openly apologised.”
This publication established that the meeting was brokered by Mr Otunnu, who also brokered a similar one between Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and the Buganda Kingdom administration.
But Mr Otunnu and Bobi Wine’s tone during a press briefing held at Otunnu’s home painted a picture of possible discussions on tribal lines.
ALSO READ: Jacob Oulanyah: How the organ failures developed
