President Yoweri Museveni is scheduled to host a luncheon on Thursday, March 28, 2024, in honour of the late former Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, for his dedication and commitment to public service.

Oulanyah, who died at 56 on March 20, 2022, was also the National Resistance Movement party vice-chairperson for the northern region.

At the luncheon, which is reported to take place at State House Entebbe, organisers say that the President is expected to recognize and award men and women who have been exceptional in their service to Uganda and laying a foundation for the future.

The National Leadership/Mentorship Award is expected to be given to selected individuals who have served with diligence and integrity in the fields of science and technology, academia, politics, trade and commerce, military, arts and culture, legal, journalism, and religion.

The award aims to demonstrate to young people in Uganda and Africa that service above personal needs and building a state, especially where institutions are still young and fragile, is commendable and a rewarding act that should be celebrated.

According to a press release from the Office of the President, the theme for this year's celebration is: Modelling the Right Behaviour for the Youth of Africa in the 21st Century.

"The purpose of this theme is to encourage and build better role models in Africa for the youth who often draw examples from the rest of the world, especially with the pervasive internet and its social media, without a robust cultural and ideological interest that seeks to build Africa. The topic will cover economic change, and political and social tools required to prepare the continent for competition in the 21st century," the statement reads.