On Sunday, March 20th, 2022, Uganda received the sad news of the death of the speaker of Parliament of Uganda. President Museveni made the announcements of Oulanya’s death on Sunday 20th at 1:00 pm, but he was cleared dead at 10:00 am through his Twitter account which news hurried to spread through various social media and mainstream media.
Oulanya’s death made him the shortest-serving speaker of Parliament in the NRM government. Jacob Oulanya has been battling with sickness since May 2021 when he had just assumed the position of speaker of Parliament. He was able only to chair three sittings of Legislation since his election as a full speaker in a giant’s battle that he won against Rebecca Kadaga.
On Friday 4th February 2022, former speaker Oulanyah was aboard the Ugandan Airbus by the parliaments and rushed to Seattle, USA to seek further treatment. The Parliament paid shs1.7bn for Oulanyah’s chartered flight on Airbus A330-800 of about 250 capacity from Entebbe International Airport.
However, though all trials have been made, Jacob Oulanyah’s life couldn’t be spared amidst so many earlier social media speculations and circulation about his death for months not until Sunday, March 20th, 2022.
Birth and Education of Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah
The Right Honorable Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah was born on March 23rd, 1965, to Nathan L’OKori the father, in Ayom Village, Lalogi Sub-county, Omoro County in Gulu district. Oulanyah has died at the tender age of 56 years and has been the parliamentary representative of Omoro County which position he has occupied for over 2 decades and served as a speaker for the Parliament for a period of less than a year.
He attended Lalogi Primary School from where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), then Dr. Obote College Boroboro for his secondary school, and later St. Joseph’s College Layibi where he obtained his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) in 1983.
Oulanyah went to Kololo Senior Secondary School for his A-Level education obtaining his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education in 1988.
In 1988, He joined Makerere University, the legendary University of East African Community, graduated in agricultural economics in 1992. Oulanyah also joined Makerere University law school and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB). In 1996, he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice.
Leadership and Working experience of Oulanya
Before high ranking to the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Oualanyah went through a chronology of leadership. And his leadership future was brighter while at Makerere University where Oulanya became the speaker of the Guild council in 1990.
In 1991-1997, Oulanyah worked as a banking officer at Standard Chartered Bank.
In 2001, he entered the arena of politics where he contested for legislation seat of Omoro representative of by then Gulu district which he won in a no-party but a movement political system, which elections he won.
Though it’s known by then Oulanyah was an Uganda People’s Congress Party (UPC) cardholder. In 2006, on the UPC card, he lost the election bid to the legislation seat, then he quitted the UPC party and joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) IN 2016.
Oulanyah participated in the peace talks between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the government. In 2008, he was the chairman of the commission of inquiry into the controversial sub-lease of Kisekka Market, one of the larger markets in Kampala city.
Between the years 2006-2010, he served as a consultant to the government of the Republic of South Sudan
In 2011, Oulanya has re-elected the Member of Parliament Omoro county of the then Gulu district and this time around came on the NRM card. Then he assumed the seat of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament which he served for 10 years with the addition of the 2016 term as well representing the people of Omoro County.
In 2019, Oulanyah was reorganized for his special services and faith by the Zoe Life Theological College USA where he was awarded the honorary doctorate of Divinity. Qualifying him to be called Rt. Hon. Dr. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah.
The family of Oulanyah
Oulanyah’s died a single life after divorcing his wife Winnie Amoo Okot Oulanyah who he wedded in 2012 in the presence of President Museveni as a chief witness and separated in 2016 when they had two children who are not much known.
However, Oulanyah had lost his first wife who was called Dorothy Nangwala Oulanyah.
