The Parliament of Uganda this afternoon held a special sitting to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week.
The motion was presented by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who said that the late Queen Elizabeth II had “a special bond with Uganda.”
Queen Elizabeth II visited Uganda twice. The first time was on April 28, 1954, and the second time was on November 21, 2007, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
Meanwhile, different MPs were this afternoon given time to pay tribute. Many described her as a dignified and distinguished leader who had an illustrious life and career, a peace builder and conflict resolver.
Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West) said that Queen Elizabeth II died at a young age.
“The Queen has died young; at only 96, at the time when the world needed her most,” he said.
He further stated that the Queen was the epitome of British culture and civilization.
“I want to appeal to our people that if you are occupying any office, you must create a conducive environment so that if you fall like the Queen, then the country must move on,” he said.
On behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, MP Muwanga Kivumbi said that Queen Elizabeth II had a remarkable influence on how the world is run.
“As patron of the Commonwealth, she was at the helm of pursuing and facilitating development,” he said.
The Queen’s state funeral will take place on Monday, September 19 in Westminster Abbey in London, across the street from the Palace of Westminster, the UK’s parliament complex, where the Queen will have been lying in state for five days prior.
She will be buried within the King George VI Memorial Chapel, where she joins King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and her sister Princess Margaret.