As it happened: Late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah's body arrives home

FUNERAL OF JACOB OULANYAH

Presented by Joseph Kizza
(Scroll down the page for earlier updates)
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4:35  pm  

Good evening!

And that's it for today's live text coverage of the arrival of the body of the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, from the US, where he died in hospital 12 days ago.

The arrival has set in motion a full week of funeral activities until next Friday, when Oulanyah will be laid to rest in Lalogi village, Omoro in northern Uganda.

We will be back again for continued coverage. Good evening for now!


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4:31  pm  

The Bwola dancers have launched into vibrant song and dance as the funeral management official receive the body of the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah. They will now take it on from here.

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4:22  pm  

BREAKING NEWS

The body of the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, has arrived at the funeral home.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, her deputy Thomas Tayebwa and the Chief Justice, Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, lead the way. In tow are officers of the Uganda Police Force.

A red carpet has been rolled out on which the casket will be trolleyed. Black is the ubiquitous colour here.
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4:21  pm  

A group of muscled Police officers are running alongside the hearse as the cortege slaloms through the now-narrowed streets of Kampala and arrives at the A-Plus Funeral Services home.
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4:16  pm  

Following the arrival of Jacob Oulanyah's body on Friday, here is the rest of the official funeral programme:

- On Sunday and Monday, the body will lie at his Muyenga home in Kampala, where friends and well-wishers will pay their last respects.

- On Tuesday (April 5), the body will be moved to Parliament for legislators to pay their final respects to their former leader.

- The following day, Oulanyah's body will be taken to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for a state funeral at 9am. Later that day, at 3pm, the casket will be airlifted to Omoro, Lalogi village, Oulanyah's ancestral home.

- On Thursday (April 7), the body will lie in Lalogi for final respects by members of the public.

- Then on Friday, 19 days after his death, Oulanyah will be laid to rest. The day will be observed as a public holiday as declared by President Yoweri Museveni.
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4:11  pm  

Thanks to live TV footage, we are able to tag along on this emotional journey from Entebbe right to Kampala, where the immediate destination of the cortege is the funeral home (A-Plus Funeral Services).
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4:07  pm  

Meanwhile, the funeral cortege has just reached Kibuye. The roadway is flanked by hundreds of people eager to catch a glimpse of Oulanyah's casket, with some waving at the cortege and others looking on in evident consternation.

You can't blame the latter. Such scenes can be hard to process.
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3:53  pm  

#NewVisionQuotes 💬

Remembering Jacob Oulanyah . . .


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3:30  pm  

The funeral cortege is now making its way to Kampala. Inside the hearse, Jacob Oulanyah's casket is draped with a Uganda national flag.

And inside that casket lies the body of a man who has been described as one who loved his work and possessed a spirit of patriotism and pan-Africanism.
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3:23  pm  

Meanwhile, Ugandans in Entebbe have lined the road from the airport in the hope of seeing the cortege drive past on its way to Kampala.

The road has been cleared to allow for smooth passage of the cortege.
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3:16  pm  

After her brief remarks, the dignitaries are led back into the terminal to prepare to escort the cortege to the funeral home under A-Plus Funeral Services.

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3:13  pm  

'Sadness and grief'

ICT and national guidance minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi invites Vice-President Jessica Alupo to say a word, which she duly does.

"We received the body [of the late Hon. Jacob Oulanyah] with utmost sadness and grief," she says.

Having been a national leader, she says Oulanyah's "life and work has a national bearing".

"I would like to call upon all the people of Uganda to remain united as we grieve and as we carry on different programmes" until the late Speaker's burial next week on Friday.

Alupo prays that the Lord strengthens the bereaved and sends "my condolences to the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and all Members of Parliament, and all the people of Acholi sub-region and the people of Uganda".
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3:07  pm  

The casket is handed over to A-Plus Funeral Services, who place it into their awaiting hearse as the Bwola dancers break into dance, joined by some Members of Parliament.

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3:04  pm  

The procession briefly stops for a moment of prayer led by a member of the clergy.

"Thank you Lord for every effort that was put in place to save his [Jacob Oulanyah's] life, but it was time for him to go," he prays, further asking for God's grace "to be able to bury our brother with dignity and honour".

He also prays that God strengthens the family of the late Speaker as well as the nation at large.

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3:00  pm  

The Police officers, lined on either side of the red carpet, perform formalities as they prepare to hand over the casket carrying the body of the late Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, to the staff of the A-Plus Funeral Services, who will take it on from here.

The officers, wearing a black uniform, are trolleying the casket on the carpet.

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2:51  pm  

The Bwola dancers have flanked the hearse carrying Oulanyah's casket as the cortege slowly makes its way to the VVIP Terminal for the official ceremony.

The dignitaries are waiting patiently amid an aura of emotions. This is hitting deep for many - if not, all - of them.

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2:42  pm  

The chief mourner, Vice-President Jessica Alupo, has arrived back at the Entebbe Airport VVIP Terminal for the official ceremony.

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2:36  pm  

The casket has been placed into the parked hearse, as officers of the Uganda Police Force salute in respect of a man who was the number three in Uganda.

Handerkerchiefs are out to wipe tears off some of the watching dignitaries' faces. One of those is Anita Among, who has struggled to put her emotions in check since arriving at the tarmac.

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2:33  pm  

Dignitaries are watching the body of Jacob Oulanyah rolled out of the belly of the Ethiopian Airlines plane on the hot Entebbe Airport tarmac.

It is draped with the black, yellow and red colours of the Uganda national flag.

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2:25  pm  

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, is an emotional wreck at the moment. She is appearing to find difficulty keeping her emotions together, and has a number of fellow dignitaries, including health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, huddle around her to console her.

The family of the late Oulanyah is also present at Entebbe.

Tough moments!

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2:20  pm  

The Chief Justice, Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, a close friend of the late Jacob Oulanyah, is among the officials at Entebbe.

Owiny-Dollo was one of the select team of people who flew to the US to visit the ailing Oulanyah in hospital only days before his death at the age of 56.

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2:16  pm  

The Bwola dancers . . .


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2:12  pm  

At the VVIP Terminal, it is a rush to get the dignitaries moved to the main airport to receive the body of Jacob Oulanyah. After the reception, the formalities will move back to the VVIP Terminal.

Speaker Anita Among, her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, and the Minister of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, are leading the team.

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2:09  pm  

Meanwhile, all Uganda national flags across the country and missions abroad are flying at half mast in honour of the departed leader of Parliament.

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2:04  pm  

The Ethiopian Airlines plane is taxing on the tarmac of Entebbe.

Expect formalities to follow at the VVIP Terminal, where officials are waiting.


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1:58  pm  

BREAKING NEWS

✈️🇪🇹  The Ethiopian Airlines plane carrying the body of Jacob Oulanyah has landed at Entebbe Airport on a sweltering Friday afternoon.

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1:55  pm  

The red carpet has been rolled out on the tarmac of Entebbe's Old Airport, used by only VIPs. And the hearse that will carry Oulanyah's casket has been parked right at the end of the carpet. All is set.

Meanwhile, we understand that the Vice-President, Jessica Alupo, will be at the airport to receive the former Speaker's body.
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1:40  pm  

The Bwola dancers have been warming up the stage with beautifully-choreographed traditional Acholi dances in celebration of Oulanyah's life. Dance is an important part of funeral in the Acholi culture.

The Bwola dance is royal dance reserved for only for heroes and chiefs in Acholi.

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1:27  pm  

The late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah's immediate predecessor, Rebecca Kadaga, said he was a man who did a lot of research, and she honoured their decade-long partnership as Speaker and deputy.


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1:19 pm  

Meanwhile, various dignitaries are arriving at the VVIP Terminal of Entebbe International Airport ahead of the arrival of the body of the late Jacob Oulanyah, which is soon.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, and one of her predecessors and ex-Vice-President of Uganda, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, are already at Entebbe. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, minister Hillary Onek (Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees) and Democratic Party (DP) president-general and close friend of Oulanyah, Norbert Mao, are also at the airport.

A select number of MPs are also present - the male legislators are wearing a bow tie in honour of Oulanyah's signature choice for a tie while the female MPs are wearing dark suits.

Nice touch!

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12:55 pm  

Tributes have been flowing for the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, right from the time President Yoweri Museveni delivered to the nation the shocking news of his death 12 days ago.

From "astute leader" and "unifier" to a "great orator" and a "true pan-African", there has been a generous flow of tributes for the late legislator from various people.

You can check out some the tributes HERE or HERE or THIS WAY.

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12:28 pm  

According to the official burial programme, the body of Oulanyah will lie in state at his Muyenga home in Kampala, where friends and well-wishers will pay their last respects.

On Thursday evening, meanwhile, the NRM Parliamentary caucus honoured the late Speaker at a pre-funeral service at his Muyenga home. The prayer service was led by Rev. Can Christine Shimanya, the chaplain of the Parliamentary Anglican Chaplaincy.

Oulanyah was the MP for Omoro County as well as the party's vice-chaiperson for northern region.

New Vision's Stuart Yiga attended the service and froze the moments 👇🏽

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12:15 pm  

#NewVisionQuotes 💬

The late Jacob Oulanyah believed and rallied for a united Africa.


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12:02 pm  

Meanwhile, on this warm Friday midday, the Prime Minister of Buganda Kingdom (Katikkiro), Charles Peter Mayiga, has been at Parliament to pay respects to the late Jacob Oulanyah.

Mayiga, representing the kingdom, was received by legislators led by Speaker Anita Among and her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa. Like many others before him, the Buganda premier penned his condolence message in the book set aside for exactly that at Parliament.

New Vision's Maria Wamala has captured the moments 👇🏽

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11:37 am  

As the Muslim fraternity in Uganda and the rest of the world prepare for the holy month of Ramadhan, their Christian counterparts are still in the Lenten season, ever closing in on Easter, which will happen on April 17.

Around this time last year, then-Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah was wishing Ugandans a blessed Easter. In a video message posted on his official Twitter page on March 30, 2021, Oulanyah called the Easter period one of "reflection" and said the biblical experience of Jesus Christ "teaches us that no situation is permanent".

Here is what Oulanyah said, verbatim, in that video message:

"It's been many days since Ash Wednesday. We are coming to the close of this whole season of Easter. We commemmorate the day He [Jesus Christ] was tried and He was crucified. It's a moment of reflection, really. Sometimes the good things that we do, the principles we stand on conflict with so many others. They may be right, but for as long as at that moment people don't think it is the truth, you will be judged. 

"And come to think of it - as His entry into Jerusalem, they threw clothes on his path. He walked on linen. The welcome was big. Everybody was happy to receive the Messiah. The multitudes that followed him, they tried to stop them and Jesus said: "If they stop singing, those stones will start talking". 

"And just a week later, the same people were demanding for his death. It's a complicated thing about life. It teaches us that no situation is permanent. Things shift. But we must always be on the right side. 

"So the Easter spirit is about understanding. It's about love, it's about forgiveness, it's about renewal of faith because He died and on the third day He rose again to grant us all hope. He died for our sins that we may live forever now without sin. And if Jesus wanted comfort, He would have stayed in Heaven. But He chose to come down on earth -  suffer the indignation, live like a human being, and even be killed to redeem us. The spirit of sacrifice. As soon as we begin living beyond ourselves, we realise that living for humanity is a much better project than living for ourselves. So, Happy Easter."
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11:28 am  

Just to bring you up to speed on what has been happening . . .

Jacob Oulanyah died in the US city of Seattle, in Washington last month on March 20, which is 12 days ago. He died in hospital, where he had been admitted for specialized treatment.

The late Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah

Speaker Oulanyah's death at the age of 56 while still in office  - only 10 months into his five-year reign - was unprecedented.

Five days after his demise, Parliament convened at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for a special sitting to elect a new Speaker of the 11th Parliament as well as a deputy. 

Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among, who served as Oulanyah's deputy, took the day by a majority parliamentary vote. Thomas Tayebwa, formerly the Government Chief Whip, was elected Deputy Speaker at the same sitting.

The move to replace Oulanyah even before his body could be brought back home for burial did, however, not sit well with some sections of the public. But Parliament provided justification for the election, saying the Constitution demands that a vacancy at the helm of Parliament requires to be filled before any further parliamentary proceedings can go on.

MPs had said they wanted to honour their late leader with a special sitting at Parliament. The only way that would happen would be with a sitting Speaker in place. 

Among, 48, and Ruhinda North MP Tayebwa, 41, are now in charge.

Meanwhile, through a special committee led by the Minister of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, Government has since released a funeral programme for the late Speaker.

According to the programme:

- Oulanyah's body will arrive today (Friday) at Entebbe International Airport.

- On Sunday and Monday, the body will lie at his Muyenga home in Kampala, where friends and well-wishers will pay their last respects.

- On Tuesday (April 5), the body will be moved to Parliament for legislators to pay their final respects to their former leader.

- The following day, Oulanyah's body will be taken to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for a state funeral at 9am. Later that day, at 3pm, the casket will be airlifted to Omoro, Lalogi village, Oulanyah's ancestral home.

- On Thursday (April 7), the body will lie in Lalogi for final respects by members of the public.

- Then on Friday, 19 days after his death, Oulanyah will be laid to rest. The day will be observed as a public holiday as declared by President Yoweri Museveni.
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11:20 am  

Good morning!

Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of the funeral of the late Speaker of Uganda's Parliament, Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah, whose body arrives today aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane from the US, where he died just a little under two weeks ago.

We have been told the aircraft is scheduled to touch down at Entebbe International Airport at 1pm Ugandan time.