The Democratic Party (DP) has asked the Government to build a monument in memory and celebration of Jacob Oulanyah as Uganda's first Speaker to die in office.

The 56-year-old died in a hospital in Seattle, Washington in the US last Sunday.

Government has said his body will be brought back home for burial after a new Speaker has been elected. As many as 12 National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, including Deputy Speaker Anita Among, have expressed interest in replacing Oulanyah.

On Tuesday, DP spokesperson Okoler Opio Lo Amanu told a press conference that it is unfortunate the process to find a new Speaker, according to Article 82 of the Constitution, is underway.

The opposition party wants Government to honour the veteran politician, who was elected Speaker last year (May 24) after serving in the deputy role for a decade.

“Due to the great works of Oulanyah, we stand to ask government that let there be a road named after him, and if that is not possible at the moment, let there be a monument erected in the premises of Parliament to remember the works of Oulanyah being that the first Speaker to die in office," said Opio.

DP felt that, in the spirit of Ubuntu, the current Deputy Speaker would preside over the send-off of Oulanyah before elections to find his replacement are held.

On the ongoing Speakership race, DP said their parliamentary caucus, led by Tochi County MP Peter Okot, has not received anyone expressing interest.

But that in case one emerges, they will, as a party, provide guidance.

According to the party, the person who will set into Oulanyah's shoes must exude at least 80% of the qualities the late Speaker possessed for a vibrant Parliament.

DP eulogized the Omoro County legislator as a clear-headed man, who firmly stood by his word.

"There was a time Oulanyah was attending an event about corruption in Kololo and made mention unprovokedly that none of those people that was in attendance was innocent, yet in attendance was the President," said Opio.

He spoke of the bravery Oulanyah portrayed when he openly condemned the carelessness of the Government in handling the matter of the Nodding Disease Syndrome in northern Uganda.

His message then was that if the nation did not mind about those children, then a future was being killed.

In the outpouring of tributes for the late Speaker, UNICEF Uganda celebrated the life of Oulanyah, saying he "committed to working with us to identify possible solutions to challenges children in Uganda face".