It was an emotional moment at Entebbe Airport as government dignitaries, friends and kinsmen gathered to receive the remains of departed Speaker Rt Hon Jacob Oulanyah.
Time check, 2:10pm, Airbus A350 owned by Ethiopian Airlines touched down at Entebbe.
An orator, a father, a lawmaker, a mentor, a prominent politician and a Speaker of Uganda’s parliament returned home, but lifeless, two weeks after his passing at a reputable cancer hospital in Seattle, United States.
Among those who converged to receive his body were the traditional Acholi dancers, the Vice President Jessica Alupo, his tribemate Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, his successor Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa.
Oulanyah had been Speaker of Uganda for only 9 months and had chaired the House for not more than 5 times.
His health kept deteriorating from the time he was elected until February when government chartered a plane to rush him to Seattle.
Hon Among who has consistently described him as a brother couldn’t help it but to break down. Mr Tayebwa equally couldn’t control his emotions.
There will be a series of activities from today (Friday) until next Friday when Oulanyah will be buried at his native home in Omoro constituency.