The Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Hon. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah is dead, President Museveni has announced. Oulanyah died in Seattle, USA where he was flown for advanced treatment last month.
The President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni tweeted that he received the news of Oulanyah’s death on Sunday 20th at 10.30PM. “Countrymen and Countrywomen. It is with a lot of sadness that I announce the death of the Rt. Hon. 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. He was a good Cadre. I delayed the announcement so that his children would be informed first,” Mr Museveni said.
Jacob Oulanyah last attended Parliament in December 2021 and he had chaired just a few parliemantary meetings since he won the Speakership job in May last year.
Speaker Oulanyah was battling with sickness since his election as the speaker of Parliament on 19th May 2021. Speaker Oulanyha only chaired three plenary parliamentary sitting, and the rest of the time, his deputy Anita Among has chaired sittings.
On 4th February 2022, the Parliament of Uganda aboard the speaker Oulanyah on a chartered Airbus A330-800 to fly him to Seattle USA, to receive special treatment. However, amidst all trials, Oulanya’s life has not been spared and called to rest.
Who Was Jacob Oulanyah?
Jacob Oulanya was born in Gulu on March 23rd 1965. His full names are Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah. He is the shortest serving speaker in the parliament of Uganda since the government of NRM.
He was born to Nathan L’OKori the father, Lalogi Sub-county, Omoro County the by then Gulu district northern Uganda. And he has died at age of 56 years.
Oulanyah attended Lalogi Primary School, where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), then went Dr Obote College Boroboro for his secondary school and later St. Joseph’s College Layibi where he obtained his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) in 1983.
He went to Kololo Senior Secondary School for his Advanced Level of education obtained his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education in 1988.
Oulanyah joined Makerere University in 1988, and graduated in agricultural economics in 1992. Afterwards Oulanyah also obtained Bachelor degree of Law at Makerere University in 1995. In 1996, he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal.
In 2019, Oulanyah was reorganized for his special services and faith by the Zoe Life Theological Collage USA where he was awarded with the honorary doctorate of Divinity. Qualifying him to be called Rt. Hon. Dr. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah.
Currently, Oulanyah has been pursuing an LLM in legislative drafting for the Institute of Legislative Studies at the University of London.
Working Experience of the Rt. Hon. Speaker Jacob Oulanyah
In 1990, at Makerere University Oulanyah served as the speaker for the Guild council under the leadership of current Democratic Party President Norbert Mao who was then the Guild President.
By 1991, he served as a banking officer at Standard Chartered Bank
Following his graduation from the LDC, Oulanyah worked as a lecturer at the centre and during the same timeframe, he began private law practice at the law firm of Oulanyah, Onoria & Company Advocates.
He’s an attorney of the court of judicature of Uganda and a Notary Public. He has specialized training in legal and legislative drafting and has experience in drafting laws and agreements, including peace agreements.
In the early 2001, elections Oulanyah entered the arena of politics for the seat of the legislation representative of Omoro county in the by then Gulu district. He emerged as a winner of the elections which were of no- political party rather political movements, though by then he was well known as the UPC carder.
However, in the next election of 2006, Oulanyah lost the elections for the same position, and by July of the same year, Oulanyah joined the ruling party the NRM.
In 2006, Oulanyah was part of the peace talks between the government and the Lord’s Resistance army (LRA) rebels who had spread all over northern Uganda. In 2006-2010, he worked as a consultant to the government of the Republic of South Sudan. And also served as the chairperson for commission of inquiry into the controversial sub-lease of the Kiseka market, one of the community markets in the city center of Kampala.
On the NRM card, Oulanyah was elected back to parliament in 2011 to represent again the people of Omoro County. And that year he was elected the Deputy Speaker of Parliament which position he served for two terms and from 2016.
Oulanyah’s Family
Very little is known about the Rt. Hon. Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. He lost his first wife who was called Dorothy Nangwale Oulanyah.
Later in 2012, Oulanyah married another wife in an executive wedding at Munyonyo which was also attended by President Museveni. However, later in 2016, the two separated, after Oulanya accused the lady Winnie Amoo Okot for abandoning of her marital responsibilities and denying him of the conjugal rights.
