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What Speaker Oulanyah’s state funeral will look like
The casket containing the remains of fallen former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah being loaded into the hearse at Entebbe International Airport on April 1, 2022
What you need to know:
- Part D of the Parliamentary Pensions Amendment Act, 2011, lays out a detailed arrangement for the burial of a Speaker who dies while in office.
Fallen Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, will be accorded a State funeral that the government says will be “befitting” for the third highest ranking government official in the national order of precedence.
Part D of the Parliamentary Pensions Amendment Act, 2011, lays out a detailed arrangement for the burial of a Speaker who dies while in office.
A series of events are contained in the processes of a State funeral, where the State takes over all arrangements headed by a Cabinet subcommittee. The government also takes over the burial expenses.
The activities start with a public announcement of the death via media. President Museveni announced Mr Oulanyah’s death on March 20 via the social media platform, Twitter.
The President later directed all flags to fly at half-mast throughout the mourning period until the Speaker is laid to rest, both hallmarks of a State funeral.
The law also guides that a condolence book shall be opened for signing. A number of political leaders, dignitaries and the public have visited Parliament to register their tributes and condolences. The casket that arrived at Entebbe Airport yesterday, will continue to be draped in the national flag, and escorted by the Uganda Police Force plus pall bearers who are ceremonially dressed.
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Under State funeral, the body is to lie in state for one day, for public viewing, while Parliament shall pay tribute to the deceased with a band in attendance playing dirges. A funeral service is also held in honour of the late Speaker in a place of worship or in a place designated by Cabinet.
According to the arrangements, the 11th Parliament will pay tribute to the former MP for Omoro County on April 5, and thereafter a State funeral service held at Kololo Independence Grounds on April 7.April 8, the day of interment, will be a public holiday and at the burial—in Lalogi village, Omoro District—there shall be a 17 gun salute.
Some notable Ugandans who have been given State funerals include the former governor of Bank of Uganda Emmanuel Tmusiime-Mutebile; Augustine Osuban Lemukol, the Iteso cultural leader, plus former presidents, Sir Edward Mutesa, Apollo Milton Obote, and Godfrey Binaisa.
