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Uganda’s shortest-serving Speaker
The Omoro MP gives Members of Parliament a victory salute after being declared winner of the Speaker race in May last year. PHOTO / MONITOR
What you need to know:
- According to the Parliamentary Hansard, Oulanyah chaired Parliament at least 26 times from May 24 last year when he became Speaker.
Until his death on Sunday, Jacob Oulanyah had spent only 10 months as the Speaker of the 11th Parliament, making him the Speaker with the shortest stint as head of the Legislature under Museveni’s regime.
According to the Parliamentary Hansard, Oulanyah chaired Parliament at least 26 times from May 24 last year when he became Speaker.
He was elected after beating the then Speaker Rebecca Kadaga in a secret ballot.
Some of the famous sessions he chaired were those on State-of-the-Nation Address, Budget day, the NSSF mid-term access, and the Budget Framework Paper.
Oulanyah served as Deputy Speaker from 2011 to 2021.
Ms Kadaga had served as Edward Ssekandi’s deputy speaker from 2001-2011.
Mr Ssekandi was then appointed vice president from 2011 until last year when the President dropped him.
ALSO READ: Jacob Oulanyah’s most memorable quotes
He replaced the late Francis Ayume who served from 1998-2001. Ayume replaced the late James Wapakhabulo (1996-1998), who became the head of Parliament.
It was the first Parliament since the 1986 military coup when he was elected Speaker of the Constituent Assembly (1994-1995) and 1996-1998.
When news about Oulanyah’s death broke on Sunday, it sparked an outpouring of emotion among Ugandans, with many describing him as an amiable and eloquent legislator with a rich legislative prowess.
The government had by press time not yet issued burial arrangements for Oulanyah’s send-off.
Political journey
Oulanyah cut his political teeth at Makerere University where he was elected guild speaker. He teamed up with other student leaders to fight for the rights of students. In 2001, he successfully contested for the parliamentary seat of Omoro County, the then Gulu District under the no-party system also known as the Movement Political System. He was, however, a cardholder of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC). He also participated in the peace talks between the government and the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels. In 2006, standing as a UPC candidate, he lost his re-election bid. In July 2006, he quit the UPC and joined the National Resistance Movement party.
