The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has announced that Mzee Nathan Okori Adiyo, father of the late former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, will be buried on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
In a communication to Members of Parliament, staff, and the public, Among said the burial date was agreed upon following consultations with the family.
The ceremony will take place at the deceased’s ancestral home in Omoro District.
Okori passed away on March 20, 2026, at St Mary’s Hospital Lacor after reportedly battling respiratory complications. He had been admitted to the facility two days earlier as his condition deteriorated.
The timing of his death drew national attention, as it occurred exactly four years after the passing of his son, Jacob Oulanyah, who died on March 20, 2022, in Seattle, United States, at the age of 56.
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao described the development as “uncanny,” noting the coincidence of the dates.
“On the fourth anniversary of the death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah we have lost his father Mzee Nathan Okori,” Mao said at the time.
Okori became a notable public figure during his son’s burial in 2022, when he publicly disputed the official cause of death, alleging poisoning—claims that attracted widespread attention but were never conclusively substantiated.
Born in 1965 in Omoro District, Oulanyah was a trained lawyer who rose through Uganda’s political ranks, serving as Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2021 before being elected Speaker in May 2021, defeating Rebecca Kadaga.
His tenure as Speaker lasted less than a year due to illness. Health officials, including Jane Ruth Aceng, later indicated that his condition dated back to 2019 and eventually led to multiple organ failure.
Following his death, Parliament elected Among as Speaker, ensuring continuity in the legislative arm of government.
The burial of Mzee Okori is expected to draw political leaders, lawmakers, and members of the public, as the country reflects on the intertwined legacies of father and son.
