The unfulfilled promise to complete the country home of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah has resurfaced, casting a shadow over government commitments and drawing rare public admission of failure from within its ranks.
The structure at Oulannyah’s ancestral home in Ayomlony village remains incomplete, clearly exposing a promise yet to be fulfilled since 2022.
The issue came into sharp focus during the burial of Oulanyah’s father, Mzee Nathan Okori Adiyo, who died at the age of 97.
The timing was poignant, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of Oulanyah’s passing, and amplifying calls for the government to act.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao openly expressed embarrassment at the government’s inability to honour President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s pledge to finish the mansion in Omoro District.
Mao framed the delay as a moral and institutional lapse, urging leaders to treat the matter as an obligation rather than a recurring talking point.
He emphasised that the commitment must now translate into tangible action.Leaders from the Acholi sub-region echoed this urgency.
Oyam District Chairperson Benson Walter Dilla Oyuku recalled that a joint regional council meeting in 2022 had formally resolved that the government should complete the residence as a tribute to Oulanyah’s service.
The continued inaction, he suggested, undermines both the resolutions of that meeting and the broader intention to honour a national figure.
Gulu District Chairperson Christopher Opiyo Atekere reinforced the concern, noting that little to no progress has been made on the structure over the years.
He appealed to national leaders to ensure the completion of the house, describing it as a matter of regional pride and national respect.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa acknowledged the delay and pointed to gaps in the implementation strategy. He indicated that consultations would be held with the Speaker of Parliament and the President to determine a clear path forward, to finally deliver on the long-standing pledge.
The unfinished mansion now stands not only as a physical structure but as a quiet indictment of delayed or even unfulfilled promises, one that leaders say must be resolved with urgency, dignity, and resolve. URN