Oulanya’s burial to cost UGX 130million
Whereas the date for departed Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s burial has not been set, according to the Parliamentary Pensions Act, the day Oulanyah will be buried shall be designated a public holiday.
Section 16 (d) of the Parliamentary Pensions Act sates that: “A public holiday shall be declared on the day of burial, in accordance with the Public Holidays Act.”
Oulanyah died over the weekend in Seattle, USA, where he had been rushed for specialized medical attention in February 2022 becoming the first speaker of parliament in Uganda to die in office.
This stipulates benefits for the speaker and deputy speaker in the event of death or retirement which including being accorded a state funeral.
According to this same law, 30% of the gross salary of the speaker or deputy speaker shall be used towards funeral expenses.
As the highest earning MP in the House, the Speaker takes earns a gross salary of UGX 40 million per month, which brings the annual gross salary of the speaker to UGX 480 million according to sources.
This translates to UGX130 million as 30% of 480 million to cover part of Oulanyah’s funeral expenses, according to the law.
Other procedures to be followed according to the law are:
- Government shall declare a mourning period.
- Martial music shall be played on national radio during the mourning
period. - National flags shall be flown at half- mast during the mourning period.
- The casket shall be draped in the national flag.
- The casket cortege shall be escorted by the Uganda Police Force in
top-roof flash light vehicles. - The casket shall be carried by ceremonially uniformed pall bearers from the Uganda Police Force
- The body shall lie in state for one day, for public viewing.
- A condolence book shall be opened for signing by political leaders,
dignitaries and the public. - An official guard shall keep vigil and a bright light shall light the
casket throughout the night. - Parliament shall pay tribute to the Speaker or Deputy Speaker with a
band in attendance playing dirges. - A funeral service shall be held in honour of the late Speaker or Deputy Speaker in a place of worship or in a place designated by Cabinet.
- The casket shall be transported to the burial place by a hearse.
At the burial, there shall be a seventeen gun salute.
Oulanyah’s Biography.
- Oulanyah was born on March, 23, 1965 to Nathan L’okori and Karen Atwon in the then Gulu district.
- He attended St.Joseph’s College Layibi, Dr.Obote College Boroboro and Kololo Senior Secondary School for his O and A level education.
- In 1988, he joined Makerere University where he studied agricultural economics and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1991.
- In 1991, he joined law school at Makerere University, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Laws degree, having earlier served as speaker of the students’ guild at the university.
- He joined Law Development Centre in 1995 and obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice but later worked as a lecturer at LDC.
- During the same time, Oulanyah began private law practice at Oulanyah, Onoria & Company Advocates and in 2001, he entered elective politics when he was elected as the Omoro County Member of Parliament as a Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party ticket whereas the country was still in the movement political system.
- Oulanyah also participated in the peace talks between the Ugandan government and Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army rebels.
- In 2006, standing as a UPC candidate, Oulanyah was trounced in Omoro County and later that year, he quit UPC to join the ruling NRM party.
- In 2011, he was re-elected as Omoro County MP in the ninth parliament on the NRM ticket and was later elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
- In January 202, he was in the parliament election re-elected as Omoro County MP.
- In May 2021, he was elected as Speaker of Parliament, after defeating the former Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga.
- On 29 January 2022, Oulanyah was taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where his doctors recommended that he be flown out of Uganda for treatment over unspecified illness.
- On 4 February 2022, he was flown via Iceland to Seattle, in the United States, for treatment.
- On 20 March 2022, Oulanyah died in Seattle, USA.
By Racheal Nuwahereza
