GULU – The Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot David Onen Acana II has called for a comprehensive investigation into the cause of death of the 11th Parliament Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah.
Oulanyah was pronounced dead at a hospital in Seattle, USA, where he has been battling life on Sunday.
While speaking in a televised interview on Monday from his home in Gulu, Rwot said that whereas they cannot confirm the poisoning claims of their son, it has given them so many questions than answers.
“We cannot pretend that all is well because now we have more questions than answers. We continue to ask why our Children die shortly after elevation to positions of power,” he said
“We hear that he was poisoned, this rumour we cannot confirm but we have questions. Is poison now an elimination method in this country? Who is behind it, is it an individual or company?” he said.
He added that the reason the suspicions emanate from previous cases.
“I say this because, in the recent past, the life of Dr Moriku Kaducu was alleged to have fallen victim to the same,” he said.
In 2018, Health Minister (Primary Health Care) Kaducu was allegedly poisoned. She was treated at Mulago shortly before her condition worsened necessitating further consultation in Nairobi.
Kaducu would later openly come and declare she was poisoned.
The Rwot did not linger on the matter of poisoning, he also accused the people who protested Oulanyah’s treatment abroad of wanting to make a meal out of nothing.
“It was not only a matter of treatment abroad. If Oulanyah had come out alive, I would have joined those that campaigned against it. But his death is a sign that even if we had the first-class hospitals here, he was still going to die,” he said.
“Those who think he stood in your way and celebrating his death, give us chance to grieve peacefully, we shall all die, death is with us like our shadows, during day or night, whether up and about or resting, we shall all die,” he added.
The Rwot said he had plans of visiting Oulanyah but he did not know he would soon be pronounced dead.
“Oulanyah is gone and defenceless before us except before god, I ask those he has wronged to forgive him,” he concluded.
The Rwot’s statements come shortly after Nathan L’Okori, the father of fallen Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah claimed his son had died of poisoning.
“I know very well that he was poisoned, and whatever somebody will say tomorrow should not distort the information we now have…. I don’t want somebody to bring their politics here,” Daily Monitor quoted Mr L’Okori.
Mr L’Okori further disclosed that Oulanyah revealed the cause of his illness, which suddenly began manifesting publicly after he became a Speaker last May before he travelled for specialised medical care abroad.
“He told me certain things, I know them very well,” he said.
