The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has asked the Forum for Democratic Change- FDC party against organizing parallel funeral arrangements for the Dokolo Woman Member of Parliament, Cecilia Ogwal.
Ogwal, 77, who was a member of FDC died on Thursday in India after a short illness.
Shortly, FDC issued a tentative funeral programme to run for seven days before the deceased’s final send-off. Without revealing the timeline, the programme indicated that mourners will gather at her home in Bugolobi, Kampala; Adok in Dokolo, Lira City and Alito in Kole District awaiting the arrival of her body.
Upon the arrival of the body at Entebbe, it would depart for Mulago Hospital and thereafter A Plus Funeral Management home in Kampala and later will be transported to All Saints Cathedral in Kampala for a funeral service and thereafter to her home in Bugolobi for a vigil.
The party also indicated that on the third day, the body will be taken to Parliament for a Special Sitting to pay tribute and thereafter transported to Dokolo via Soroti for a Joint Council Meeting at Dokolo District Local Council to be followed by a vigil at Adok.
FDC indicated that Ogwal’s body will depart for Adok in Lira City on the 5th day for church service at St. Augustine Church to be followed by a night vigil at Senior Quarters and thereafter the body to her family home in Alito, Kole district for another service, vigil, and burial.
However, Chris Obore, the Director of Communication and Public Affairs Parliament slammed FDC for such a hasty programme adding that the burial of Late Ogwal is the responsibility of Parliament.
“Please disregard the purported burial programme released by the FDC on its social media platforms. The Speaker of Parliament together with the family, will release the funeral arrangements,” Obore said in a statement.
Adding that, “We urge the FDC to observe the bare minimum of respect and decency and not vulgarise the final journey of the hugely respected Hon. Ogwal.” It is not yet known when exactly her body will be flown back into the country.
Ogwal has been a member of the FDC since 2011. She contested and won the Dokolo Woman MP seat following her exit from the Uganda People’s Congress – UPC.
She was a member of the budget committee of the Parliament and the committee on Physical Infrastructure in charge of overseeing and covering policy matters related to Lands, Housing, Urban Development, Works and Transport, and Physical Planning.
She becomes the 4th serving MP of the 11th Parliament to die. Others are the Serere County Representative, Bishop Patrick Okabe, former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah (Omoro County), and Charles Okello Macodwogo Engola of Oyam North Constituency.
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