{UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Speaker Oulanyah? Oulanyah, Uganda’s Secret Weapon for Foreign Battles |
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Oulanyah, Uganda's Secret Weapon for Foreign Battles |
Uganda has in two gigantic and equally hostile occasions survived being disgracefully thrown out of important international organizations, Chimp Corps exclusively report.
The government has silently and successfully handled two challenges that threatened her harmonious existence with the rest of the world.
The events were not captured anywhere but this mighty website has dug deep and unearthed the behind the scenes of these events which occurred in 2014 and 2016.
In December 2013 Uganda stood its ground against the uproar from the super powers, and passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law. The Bill was consequently signed by President Yoweri Museveni the following month of January 2014 at the chagrin of mainly the United States, Canada and the European Union nations.
We have learnt that in early March 2014 the European Union Parliament sitting in Strasbourg (France) resolved to kick Uganda out of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) and ACP-EU (development cooperation between the European Union and the countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States).
The same resolution had also listed Nigeria that had passed her Anti-Gay law in January 2014 to suffer the same fate as Uganda.
The EU Parliament's resolution had strategically targeted the 27th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Sitting in the same French Eastern city of Strasbourg that indeed convened in the same month from 17th to 19th March 2014.
Uganda is represented in the above bodies by Parliament. The Ugandan delegation to Strasbourg while not aware of any development was led by the Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah.
From Kampala the intelligence was partially aware of the harsh environment the Ugandan delegation would face.
According to sources from Parliament and State House, on the night of March 17, 2014, after the opening ceremony, Oulanyah was tipped by an ACP-EU Secretariat official who hails from an African country about the plot to eject Uganda and Nigeria from the assembly as well as JPA.
Despite the ice-cold winter, Oulanyah immediately left his hotel room in a pair of shorts before rushing to the assembly hall were many activities were still ongoing.
"The Deputy Speaker quickly thought of how to save the vividly unbreakable situation," a source from Parliament who attended the Session said.
On reaching the hall, Oulanyah wrote a precise note to be delivered to the table of the Secretariat for an opportunity to move a motion the next day and possibly secure a resolution before the sitting to discuss the already set EU resolution to expel Uganda and Nigeria.
Luckily enough, Oulanyah's request was granted and the next thing was for him to draft a new motion which would literally challenge the one of the disproportionately strong EU Parliament.
Museveni call
Oulanyah who was already sweating even in the uncharacteristically cold weather, called State House for an urgent audience with the President. Yoweri Museveni, who was already aware of the challenges ahead before Oulanyah and his team had left Entebbe, just told the latter to handle everything.
"The President knew a phone call was going to come from Strasbourg. Oulanyah was already trusted for the task," a state House source said.
Oulanyah in his wisdom detailed in his motion how Uganda arrived at passing the Anti-Homosexuality.
An eloquent United Kingdom House of Common's member had on the same day made a powerful presentation that convinced the majority on the rights of gay and lesbians.
The British lawmaker reportedly got his equal measure on March 18 in the name of Jacob Oulanyah.
The Omoro County legislator was given a maximum 6 minutes to move and explain his motion and the general debate to follow.
The Deputy Speaker ended by using 10 more extra minutes the moment he got on the podium.
"It must have been his best in life. His arguments for the first 5 minutes moved everyone and he spoke for 16 straight minutes. He was heard by everyone," another source who attended the Session said.
The EU Parliament's resolution to eject Uganda and Nigeria had to die a natural death. Nigeria had however reportedly given up. That was the first time of Uganda's survival.
Elections
The second international challenge came after the recently concluded general elections. The European Union observer mission to the country had made a damning report which was forwarded to the continent's Parliament.
This website recently broke the news of how Oulanyah who represented Uganda was roasted in Brussels during the ACP-EU meeting on March 14.
The reports from the Belgian capital say, the European Parliament members mainly from the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and Germany challenge were very critical of Uganda for shutting down of social media and mobile money during polls, hostile electoral environment for opposition, and police actions among many others.
Oulanyah however managed to restore calm during a special sitting dubbed the Meeting of the Committee on the Development of European Parliament (EP) to consider the Reports of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament Election Observer Missions to Uganda for the General Elections held on 18 February.
The EU members again wanted Uganda out of the ACP-EU over the February poll and the aftermath.
"In the interest of national security which is a legitimate public interest as provided for under the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda in particular Article 29 Clause (1) and Article 43, Clause (1), the Government has a duty and obligation to protect the population and their property by stopping danger to the public," he explained.
"It should be recalled the significant role that hate media played in a neighboring country. Due to credible information that people were planning to misuse social media to cause violence, mayhem and disruption, all measures were taken to ensure protection of Ugandans including the temporary restriction of social media which is a form of broadcasting, falls under the definition of communications, and is carried over communications channels operated by licensed providers."
Oulanyah again saved country's ties with the European Union.
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Jacob Oulanya
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