Oulanyah deserves a better Parliament tribute

During a session of Parliament to pay homage to former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, the deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa alluded to a legislator who had called the session stupid given the manner in which it was conducted. I want to fully associate with the unnamed legislator. In fact the pained expression of veteran legislator Felix Okot Ogong whose remarks were stopped at the introduction stage said more than stupid as he walked off the podium.  The Oxford English Dictionary defines stupid as “showing a lack of thought or good judgement”.

READ: Oulanyah’s journey from Muyenga to Parliament

The Dokolo South MP joined the House before many current legislators enrolled for their UPE classes and is one of the most competent members to sit in that Parliament since 1986.  Given his experience and competence, I would not have had a problem seeing Mr Okot-Ogong get 10 minutes or more to speak about someone he had worked with for at least two decades. 

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In that unfortunate April 5 session, some legislators like Betty Aol Ochan, Abdul Katuntu, Nandala Mafabi, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda etc. stood out for at least two reasons, they had something serious to say about the fallen speaker or begged for more time and were lucky to get an additional minute or two.

By the standards of the Ugandan Parliament and politics, Oulanyah was qualified, decent and a tireless advocate for the House rules. Yet, in an attempt to eulogise him, the House insulted his memory. As an excellent orator and debater who cherished informed submissions, the House denied him that final opportunity to play by his standards while paying tribute to him. The only thing that differentiated a downtown market and that session was the fact that the legislators were mourning and mostly on their good manners and the fact that they were putting on nice and in some cases expensive suits.

With the exception of those granted more time, none was able to make a proper speech about the deceased, some barely knew him and were merely rehashing what their colleagues had said or what they had read in the newspapers and on social media. 

It is hard to blame the current crop of legislators, majority of whom fall in the category that MP Ssemujju termed as “extremely very ordinary people ‘’ without that context.  Many are in the House because of the “wave politics’’, vote rigging and tumuleke alyeko (let us allow him/her to also eat).  It is a big ask to imagine that characters produced by such a system can rise to the occasion and make submissions like Oulanyah did. It is, however, not too late to do better.

The leadership of parliament should designate a special sitting in the House. The Speaker can even ask a member or someone from outside to give a “special address’ to Parliament in honour of her deceased predecessor.

Each region, through their respective caucuses can designate a member who will pay tribute to the fallen speaker with sufficient time based on the topic like “the Uganda we want”.

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This can be stretched to political parties or, to limit it, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament and the Government Chief Whip can appoint speakers. 

We live in a country where everyone has an opinion and, of course, wants to express it but there should be exceptions.

Oulanyah deserves a respectable sendoff record on the hansard of the House. That is the least the House can do.

“You will not speak if you have not done research; it must be evidence based. The era of gambling with speeches is over,” Oulanyah warned legislators at the start of the 11th Parliament. At his final journey in the Parliament, the MPs gambled.

Mr Kafeero is an engaged citizen guilty of good trouble.