Parliament held a special plenary on March 23rd to commemorate the life of fallen speaker emeritus Jacob Oulanyah.

Parliament set aside March 23rd (Oulanyah’s birthday) as a day to remember his life and service to parliament and Uganda at large.

During plenary, minister of ICT Chris Baryomunsi said the late speaker was eloquent, punctual, smart, intelligent and was always there for others.

Minister of health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng also acknowledged that Oulanyah was significant in the growth of Uganda’s health sector. Aceng said the late speaker would spare time and explain to people health issues.

Hon. Lillian Aber (Woman MP Kitgum) said Oulanyah would do the right and was an inspiration. Aber added that Oulanyah always wanted to see each system effective.

Hon Ssemujju Nganda spoke of the late as a very selfless man that always settled disputes with every one.

“I want to thank the late Jacob Oulanyah even when you had trouble with him, he took it upon himself to reach out to you to resolve the matter,” he said.

Speaker Jacob Oulanyah died on March 20th last year and was replaced by Anita Among. Oulanyah served as deputy speaker twice before being voted as speaker of Parliament.

Lawyers under the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) have protested the removal of Justice Esther Kisakye from office.

In a written statement by the association, the Commonwealth Lawyers have called upon president Museveni to carefully consider the implications of Justice Kisakye’s dismissal.

The lawyers say that judges should only be subjected to suspension only when they are incapable or if they misbehave.

“Judges should be subject to suspension or removal only for reasons of incapacity or misbehaviour that clearly renders them unfit to discharge their duties,” part of the statement reads.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) last month recommended the removal of Justice Esther Kisakye from office and have her probed over her misconduct and attack on chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo.

Justice Kisakye’s troubles began following the 2021 election petition by National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi in which she gave a dissenting opinion from other judges.

Justice Kisakye in her ruling said Kyagulanyi had not been given enough time to present his case.

Speaker of parliament Anita Among has revealed that she has bought 500 iron sheets to compesate those meant for the vulnerable in Karamoja that were misallocated  by the minister of Karamoja affairs Hon. Goretti Kitutu.

Among told parliament on March 15th that she bought the iron sheets because she does not want to be accused of grabbing iron sheets that were meant for the vulnerable in Karamoja.

Speaker Anita Among is among the government officials who were cited in the Karamoja iron sheet scandal. Among is reported to have received 500 pieces of iron sheets. However, Among claimed she did not request for the iron sheets but admitted that she saw them in her district Bukedea.

Other government officials that received the iron sheets include vice president Jessica Alupo, minister Rose Akello, Agnes Nandutu, prime minister Robinah Nabbanja, minister Amos Lugolobi, finance minister Matia Kasaija, Minister Maria Goretti Kitutu, government chief whip Denis Obua among others.

The Karamoja iron sheet scandal sparked off when family members of minister Goretti Kitutu were found in possession of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable in Karamoja region. Minister Kitutu told the committee on presidential affairs, during the probe, that she was not guided thus misallocating relief items meant for Karamoja.