Mao hails Oulanyah for his loyalty as NRM pays tribute to late speaker

Hundreds of friends, colleagues, leaders and members on Thursday convened at the NRM party headquarters to pay tribute to deceased former speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah during a special memorial service.

Giving a special tribute during the service, Democratic Party president, Norbert Mao said he had met Oulanyah in 1988 and that since then, their friendship blossomed into brotherhood.

“Friends are those relatives we choose.  If we are honest, there are some of our brothers we wish were born in another family. When you chose friends they become your relative.  Jacob Oulanyah became my relative. If Jacob were to be alive as speaker and vice chairperson of NRM and Mao was to lie dead in coffin and DP was to hold a memorial service, Jacob would not have hesitated to go to DP headquarters to eulogise me,” Mao said.

According to Mao, when Oulanyah crossed to the NRM, he exhibited loyalty to the ruling party that he said he loved so much.

“He lived a life of courage both physical and moral to take tough decisions that many may fear to take. If there was anyone with doubts about Oulanyah’s love for his NRM party, you are then misguided. I salute him for loving and serving his party faithfully and gratefully.”

The NRM first national vice chairperson, Moses Kigongo could not agree more with Mao on the loyalty and hard work that Oulanyah exhibited while serving his party.

"Beside the many things that Jacob Oulanyah did, he was very loyal to the NRM party. He worked so hard to win support for the party in Northern Uganda. We shall forever celebrate his life for this. He did a great job for the party especially in the northern region when they had not accepted the movement in the region. That's why we won the north in the just concluded general elections,”Kigongo said.

He noted that his legacy is worth celebrating and emulating.

The NRM Secretary General, Richard Todwong said the former speaker was one who so forgiving but also an advocate of reconciliation.

“When he joined NRM, he came with very interesting examples of humility and forgiveness. He would forgive anybody. He would reach out to those he disagreed with on phone and speak to them. For those who didn’t support him in previous speakership election, by time he was feeling weak he was calling them and asking to work together and forget the past,”Todwong said.

“Jacob Oulanyah should be a sign of unity to us. We should forgive one another and reconcile.  It will take us far and if we do not do it, we will be hurting our party.”

The NRM Secretary General also applauded President Yoweri Museveni for giving opportunity to Oulanyah to serve the country and that this way, he was able to  exhibit his rare qualities.

“President Museveni gave him opportunity to shine and excel and because of that, we have realized the potential he had. We thank the president and the NRM party for loving him and giving him a platform to shine.”