The body of former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah will today lie in state at Parliament ahead of a special sitting for legislators to pay special tribute to him.
Ms Grace Gidudu, the assistant director of communications and public affairs at Parliament, explained that given the big numbers of dignitaries and members of the public who will be paying their last respects, a big white tent has been erected to accommodate those who won’t be able to get a seat inside the House chambers.
Members of the public, lawmakers and other invited guests are expected to take their seats early since the special sitting will start at 10am.
“We shall only allow a limited number of members of the public into Parliament and once it is filled up, others will be locked out [not allowed into the vicinity],” Ms Gidudu told this publication, adding: “Those in the tent will then be able to follow the proceedings of sittings on television screens.”
The casket containing the body will be wheeled into Parliament by the A-Plus funeral management team, placed temporarily in the South Wing’s main lobby before being moved to the chambers for the House session.
Once the session is done, the casket will be taken back to the lobby where it will continue lying in state.
Our team on Monday observed a section of Parliament staff moving up and about trying to put things into place ahead of today’s programme.
Different dignitaries also continued making their way into the House to pay their last respects, including writing in the condolence book. As a way of commemorating Oulanyah’s previous sense of style of wearing bowties, some male legislators and staff members were spotted donning them.
Oulanyah died on March 20 at the age of 56 at the University of Washington Medical Centre, a hospital in Seattle, United States, where he had been admitted for specialised treatment.
Oulanyah had served Parliament in different capacities as a two-term Deputy Speaker before his election as Speaker in May 2021. The late Oulanyah also represented Omoro County while subscribing to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.
The body will be kept overnight at the House before being taken for a State funeral at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Wednesday where President Museveni will be chief mourner.
After the Kololo prayers, the body will be airlifted to Lalogi, Omoro District, for family members, relatives and friends to convey their last respects before burial on Friday, which has been declared a public holiday.
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