Speculation about Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s health is rife on social media following persistent media reports claiming that he contracted Covid-19.
However, family sources say Oulanyah has undergone several Covid-19 tests all of which emerged negative including one before traveling to the UK.
Oulanyah presided over the sitting of the 11th Parliament during the reading of the 2021/2022 budget on June 10th at Kololo Independence grounds.
The Deputy Speaker, Anita Among chaired the house on the day that the appointment of Vice President Jessica Alupo and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja were approved.
This sparked speculation with several media reports indicating that the Speaker was down with COVID-19.
Following a local daily’s report on 22 June, this news website contacted Rt. Hon. Oulanyah on phone and he laughed off what he termed as false alarmist reports.
The local daily had claimed that he was critically ill and that there was a scramble to have him flown abroad for specialised treatment.
“You are talking to me now. Who is scrambling?” Speaker Jacob Oulanyah who said he was working from home in conformity to the lockdown measures asked SoftPower News.
Read here: https://www.softpower.ug/disregard-false-alarmist-reports-that-i-am-ill-jacob-oulanyah/
Contacted, Parliament’s Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Chris Obore, said the 11th Parliament is led by a new approach.
“The House is chaired by the Deputy Speaker as a shared responsibility, not only when the Speaker is away. That is the new approach, ” Obore said.
He also said the Speaker was well and working from home.
Read here:
https://www.softpower.ug/speaker-oulanyah-is-well-working-from-home-parliament/
Upon recent media reports that the Speaker had travelled to the United Kingdom for treatment, Obore said that the Speaker had later travelled to the UK on a visit.
According to Obore, the speaker travelled to see one of his children in the UK, and was also shocked by the news doing rounds that he was ill with COVID-19.
“He traveled to the UK, but it is in no way related to sickness or anything but to see his son who he has not seen for a long time,” said Obore.