By Spy Uganda
Arua: As the speakership contest for Uganda’s 11th parliament gains momentum, a couple of elders from the Lugbara Kari cultural institution have poured blessings unto the deputy speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Jacob Oulanya, who has vowed to kick the current speaker Rebecca Kadaga out of the top seat.
READ ALSO: Latest Update! Kadaga, Oulanyah, Baryomunsi & Tanna Take Lead In CEC Elections
These leaders included Manaseh Yumah, the cultural head of Ayivu led by the MP-elect John Lematia of Ayivu West accompanied by John Godo, Suzan Ezatia and several other ministers in the Lugbara Kari chiefdom, who praised Oulanya, saying he is the most fit for speakership position, based on his already proven leadership skills.
Amidst jubilations while chanting words of courage to Oulanya, the leaders handed to him a spear, bows and arrows before blessing him to go ahead and ‘slaughter’ the woman from Kamuli from the house.
READ ALSO: ‘EU Must Stop Unwanted Influence In African Affairs’-Speaker Oulanyah
As a promise, Oulanya noted, “I am beginning to see that it’s starting from the elders, and the prayer is that the relationship can grow across the board, just let me go through and see my fruitful services”.
But who is Oulanya that has since given bloody nose to Kadaga?
RT. Hon. Dr. Jacob L. Oulanyah is a Ugandan agricultural economist, lawyer and politician, who has been the Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan parliament since 19th May 2011. Oulanyah is also a member of parliament representing the Omoro County constituency, Omoro District, Acholi sub-region, in Uganda’s Northern Region.
READ ALSO: Speaker Oulanyah Warns Politicians Not To Incite Violence Ahead Of 2021 General Election
He was born in the then Gulu District, on 23 March 1965. He attended St. Joseph’s College Layibi, Dr. Obote College Boroboro, and Kololo Senior Secondary School for his O-Level and A-Level education. In 1988, he joined Makerere University, the oldest university in the East African Community, where he studied agricultural economics.
He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in that subject. That same year, he entered law school, also at Makerere University, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He served as speaker of the university students’ guild during his stay at Makerere. In 1995, he attended the Law Development Centre (LDC), where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice.
READ ALSO: Deputy Speaker Oulanyah Asks Israel To Be At Forefront In Promoting Peace Worldwide
Following his graduation from the LDC, Oulanyah worked as a lecturer at the centre. During the same timeframe, he began private law practice at the law firm of Oulanyah, Onoria & Company Advocates.
In 2001, he entered politics by successfully contesting for the parliamentary seat of Omoro County, the then Gulu District under the no-party system also known as the Movement Political System.
He was however a cardholder of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC). He also participated in the peace talks between the government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels.
READ ALSO: Deputy Speaker Oulanyah Warns Youth Against Corruption, Drugs
In 2006, standing as a UPC candidate, he lost his re-election bid. In July 2006, he quit the UPC and joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). In 2008 he served as the chairman of the commission of inquiry into the controversial sub-lease of Kisekka Market, one of the municipal markets in the city of Kampala.
In March 2011, Oulanyah was elected to represent Omoro County then in Gulu District, in the Ninth Parliament, this time on the NRM ticket. He was elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament on 19 May 2011.
