The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, declined a request by a section of Members of Parliament (MPs) to view the body of former Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, saying she viewed the body on behalf of all MPs.
The newly-elected Speaker made these remarks during a special session that Parliament held yesterday, to honor and pay tribute to the fallen Speaker, adding that the body of her former boss was already dressed in Parliamentary attire.
“I have already viewed the body on behalf of Parliament and even dressed him in Parliament attire,” Among noted.
Among was responding to Bukomansimbi North MP Christine Nandagire’s request to allow her and her colleagues to view the body of the fallen speaker.
Oulanyah died on March 20 at a Seattle hospital in the US, where he had been admitted since February.
The Speaker will be laid to rest on Friday, April, 8.
The Government has further noted that April 8 will be observed as a public holiday.
Following the programme issued by the chairperson of the national organizing committee for Oulanyah’s burial, Milly Babalanda, who is also the Minister for Presidency, on Wednesday, April 6, the body is to spend the day at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for a State funeral, where President Yoweri Museveni is expected to lead the nation in paying tribute to the late Speaker of Parliament.
The special service at Kololo is to be led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, His Grace Dr. Kaziimba Mugalu.
From Kololo, Babalanda said, Oulanyah’s casket will be airlifted to Omoro, Lalogi village, his ancestral home.