Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya has expressed his dismay over the continuous death of Acholi people who occupy high-ranking positions in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
Speaking at Parliament, Olanya said the Government of Uganda must come up very clearly before burying Speaker Jacob Oulanyah and explain what is going on with the leaders, sons of Acholi.
Oulanyah died yesterday in Seattle, USA. His death was announced by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. On February 3, 2021, Oulanyah was flown to the US aboard a Chartered Uganda Airlines aircraft A330 to Seattle for expert medical attention after efforts by medics at Mulago National Referral paid no dividends.
Olanya said Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, Gen Paul Lokech, Gen Julius Facki Oketta, Col. Walter Ochora and many others died barely two years after assuming their offices.
Oulanyah died eight months after he was elected the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda. He defeated the Incumbent Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga and Kira municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda. Since then, Oulanyah has been in and out of Hospitals over unrevealed health Complications.
Gen Lokech was appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) of the Uganda Police Force on 16 December 2020 and died on 21st August 2021. According to a post-mortem examination carried out by a team of pathologists, Lokech died of a blood clot which was carried into the lungs.
Major General Julius Facki Oketta died on 5 November 2016. Before his death, he was the Director of National Emergency Coordination and Operations in the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda.
Col. Walter Ochora died on March 3, 2011 at International Hospital Kampala. The cause of his death is still unknown. Ochora’s friends who were with him at Fairway Hotel said he was ok and was enjoying his whisky while chatting with them.
“Why is it that when you attain a position in this government and the only thing you must be eliminated, what is going on. What is unique with the people of Acholi in this government?” Olanya asked.
“We need an answer from the government of Uganda before burying Oulanyah. Right now as members from Acholi, we are retreating back to our villages. Government should tell us clearly if we are not worthy of holding any key position in this government so that we tell our sons to resign and go back,” he said.
