Speaker Oulanyah is finally in town and has stormed the corridors of Parliament with swagger as deputy speaker Anitah Among and staff swarm him with pleasantries.
Speaker Oulanyah elected Speaker of Parliament, last presided over the sitting of the 11th Parliament during the reading of the 2021/2022 budget on June 10th at Kololo Independence grounds.
Speaker Oulanyah has attracted fear among his colleagues in the house and the population with lengthy lay off from work since he was sworn in.
MP Joseph Ssewungu, Kalungu West, took to the floor last week to raise concern over the continued absence of Speaker Oulanyah who according to reports in Daily Monitor, he was down with Covid-19 and had been flown for treatment in London, England.
MP Ssewungu queried: “Can we have an update about our Right Hon Speaker Jacob Oulanyah? We want to know what is the fate of the Speaker of Parliament. We are 529 MPs, even if he is down we must know that he is down. When the former Speaker (Ms Rebecca Kadaga) was sick one time, MPs were informed. None of us is coming out to give the public what is happening to the Speaker”
Parliament rubbished the reports and stated that Speaker Oulanyah had travelled to shake off the long and busy political season.
Deputy Speaker Anitah Among weighed in on by stating that they agreed to work in shifts of two months. She said the speaker would return to take on his duties.
Anitah had a simple response to MP Ssewungu’s query: “There is a speaker in this House, there is no vacuum.”
However, Obore when asked during a news conference at Parliament, he said: “He travelled to the UK, but this is in no way related to sickness or anything, but to see his son whom he had not seen in a long time.”
Oulanyah Thursday returned to the house and was happily received by Anitah and the director of communications Chris Obore.
Olanyah was clad in designer blue suit with a white shirt and his trademark brown and white dotted bow tie on his first day at work.
Our senior Parliament reporter Zainab Ali reported that Speaker Oulanyah was in a jovial mood and set for the house business slated for Thursday afternoon.
Speaker Oulanyah’s deputy Anitah made sure she warmly ushered the Lion of Omoro after a long absence from the house.
Anitah confirmed: “With Rt hon @JacobOulanyah in my office during his tour of @Parliament_Ug.I led a team of leaders from across the political divide to welcome him back to work after a break.”
She hailed: “We are excited to have the Rt Hon @JacobOulanyah back after a break from office ! welcome back Ladit.”
Clad in a cream dress, all excited deputy speaker Anitah presented him with a bouquet of flowers.
The speaker according to Zainab Ali can not wait to meet MPs this afternoon as the house prepares to hear from the Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja as the order paper reads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tAyB2kcMpw
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
