Speaker Oulanyah dies in Seattle, USA [more details]

By Ambrose Gahene

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday confirmed the death of Uganda’s Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, who has been in hospital for over a month in Seattle, USA,

“It is with a lot of sadness that I announce the death of Jacob Oulanyah, the Speaker of Parliament. I got information of this sad news at 10.30am, East African time from people that have been with him and the doctor that was caring for him in the intensive care unit,” said Museveni in a tweet.

Museveni added that Oulanyah was a good Cadre, saying he delayed disclosing the Speaker’s death so that his children would be informed first.

He was referred abroad on February 3rd for specialized healthcare by doctors at Mulago Hospital where he was first admitted in January.

On Tuesday last week,  the Democratic Party President Norbert Mao, alongside Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Deputy Speaker Anita Among, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng the Minister of Health and Oulanyah’s brother, Francis Emuna flew to Seattle in the United States of America to check on him where he was indisposed since February 4th, 2021.

Both Mao and the Deputy Speaker, through their Twitter accounts, dismissed social media claims that Oulanyah had died. They in fact stated that he was responding to treatment.

Oulanyah, aged 56 at the time of his death, was an agricultural economist, and lawyer. He served as Deputy Speaker of the 2006 – 2016 under Rebecca Kadaga before defeating her on 24 May 2021 to become Speaker of the 11th Parliament. He served for 9 months and 24 days.