Flags to fly at half-mast until Oulanyah is buried

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has directed all flags in the country to fly at half-mast until the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah is buried.

Before his official directive through his Twitter handle, Uganda Radio Network-URN reporters at Parliament had observed flags already flying at half-mast at different government instalments.

“Countrymen and Countrywomen Yesterday, at about 12.40 pm, it was my sad duty to announce the untimely death of our Speaker, the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, MP for Omoro.

Today, I add the following: I extend my condolences, the condolences of my family and of all Ugandans to the children of Oulanyah and to his wider family. The government and the NRM will always stand with them. I will say more about Rt. Hon. Oulanyah in the coming days reads part of Museveni’s communication.

Countrymen and Countrywomen
Yesterday, at about 12.40pm, it was my sad duty to announce the untimely death of our Speaker, the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, MP for Omoro.
Today, I add the following:

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) March 21, 2022

The President adds that he has activated the National Organizing Committee, under the Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda, to organize the official burial of the late Speaker. “They know what to do. More will be said and communicated as we go along,” Museveni further writes.

Cabinet met on Monday and official communication is yet to be issued. A meeting between Parliament officials and the family was held late last night and on Monday morning a team from Parliament had already left for the late Speaker’s village in Omoro for burial preparations.

Another meeting chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Anita Among is still ongoing at the Parliament. It remains a sombre mood around parliament with few Members of Parliament present. No committees of parliament are meeting and it is all quiet at the Speaker’s Chambers.

Oulanyah, 56, died on Sunday morning at a Seattle Hospital in the United States of America where he was indisposed since February 4th, 2021. He was referred abroad on February 3 for specialized healthcare by Doctors at Mulago National Referral Hospital where he was first admitted in January.

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URN