MPs urged to carry forward quality debates introduced by late Jacob Oulanyah

The Speaker, Deputy Speaker and members of the 11^th Parliament should adopt quality debates as the late Rt. Hon Jacob Oulanyah had set out to do.

The advice was sounded by Bart Magunda Katureebe the former Chief Justice of Uganda, who had appeared at Parliament on Monday to sign the condolence book for the late Speaker.

According to Katureebe, Oulanyah had set out to improve the quality of debate in the house, and it is unfortunate that he passed shortly after his election as speaker.

“It’s very sad that he should depart shortly after his election as speaker when he had all the big hopes to transform this parliament. My message to members of parliament, the speaker and the deputy speaker is that the goals that Hon Oulanyah had set out about improving the standards of debate, and accountability in parliament are the things that you should take up and try and live up to. That will be the legacy that he has left behind which will survive him and be carried forward by parliament,” Katureebe said.

He noted that the late Oulanyah will be kept alive if the house carries forward his legacy and do it even better than he had set out to do.

After signing in the book at Parliament on Monday, Katureebe joined other mourners at Oulanyah’s home in Muyenga.

Many legislators have eulogized the late Speaker as a leader whose debates are based on facts and research. “Each time you brought a motion in the house, he would ask if you have facts. He challenged us to read, research and stand before the august house with facts. We knew better to do our research before raising our hands,” hon. Sarah Opendi said recently in an interview.

The same has been said by many legislators, including those from the opposition parties.

The body of Oulanyah arrived at parliament minutes ago and here, MPs will pay final respects throughout the day. The body will spend a night in the house before leaving for Kololo ceremonial grounds on Wednesday morning, where national prayers will be held.

At least 1,500 people including President Yoweri Museveni, Ministers, MPs, the religious, family members and a few other persons have been invited to the ceremony.

Later on Wednesday afternoon, his body will be airlifted to his ancestral home in Omoro where it will lay for two days before burial on Friday 8^th April 2022.

Oulanyah died on March 20^th at a hospital in Seattle, US.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.