OYAM South MP Dr. Yefusa Okulo-Epak has died. Okulo-Epak, who was the chairperson of the Lango Parliamentary Group, died of lung cancer at Neuleg Hospital in South Africa yesterday.
The MP, who joined the Eighth Parliament as an independent, was diagnosed with the disease in 2004.
The Clerk to Parliament, A. Tandekwire, said the arrangements to bring the body home and the burial would be communicated in due course.
Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal, who was among the people attending to Okulo-Epak in hospital, announced the bad news.
According to Ogwal, the deceased developed complications and collapsed in hospital last Wednesday. This forced the doctors to transfer him to the intensive care unit.
“He has been semi-conscious since then and further investigations revealed that he had developed a brain tumour.”
MPs yesterday expressed shock at the death of their colleague whom they described as an intelligent, patriotic and prolific debater who loved peace.
Guma Gumisiriza (Ibanda North) said: “He was a very powerful and intelligent man. I revere him. He would talk about issues beyond parochial party differences. He used to talk sense all the time. He was extremely nationalistic.”
James Kubeketerya (Bunya East) said it was sad that Okulo-Epak died at a time when the committee was still working on his proposal to finance the Cancer Institute at Mulago Hospital.
The Opposition Chief Whip, Kassiano Wadri, said death had robbed them of a dependable legislator who stood for the truth.
Latif Ssebaggala (Kawempe North) remembered the deceased as an honest man who spearheaded the scrapping of Graduated Tax.
A civil engineer and planner by profession, Okulo-Epak was born in 1940.
He worked as the Government chief planner and engineer from 1972 to 1976. From 1977 to 1976, he was a lecturer at Nairobi University. From 1987 to 1990, he was the chief technical advisor of the United Nations Decentralisation and Local Level Planning Department in Ghana.
He joined the Sixth Parliament in 1996 and was the chairperson of the public accounts standing committee in the Seventh Parliament.
