Speaking as Minister of State for Defence, Rt. Hon. Oboth paid tribute to the long-serving Dokolo Woman MP, recalling her as a unifying figure "into issues, not sensation".
Delivered as Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs.
I bring condolences from the people of West Budama Central and, indeed, Tororo District on the passing of a gallant Ugandan. I want to agree with others who have described her, especially using the two words that she stood for. She stood in this Parliament for God. She protected, defended and promoted anything that would uplift and promote good faith in this House and for this country.
I saw her for the first time in 1996 in Tororo when I was in high school. I think I had never seen anybody as powerful as Hon. Cecilia Ogwal. She had the late Dr Paul Kawanga Semwogerere as the President of the Inter Political Forces Cooperation. President Museveni was the second candidate in the whole of Tororo District that day; they won massively.
Before I came to this Parliament, I got to know the family deeply through the son. Honourable members, we need to write our tribute while we are still alive. Hon. Cecilia did that.
The tolerance the Speaker refers to, everybody will acknowledge — she was very tolerant. Tolerant people are those who know more and are patient with others. Even when you were saying something not pleasant to her, Hon. Cecilia would listen to you to the end.
This Parliament wants us to offer service to Ugandans. We would never be able to tell which political side she was on, because she would make a unifying statement. She was into issues, not sensation. She was into what was pertinent.
Let us love our country beyond politics or political parties. Let us love Uganda more than we love ourselves. Let us not look at what divides us but at what would unite us.
As a tribute to you, Mama Cecilia: you have left this country better than it was during many years of the struggle. You worked with everybody; you were a Christian leader and a national leader, and better than many of us. Why are we fighting, and for what are we fighting? Mama, rest in peace.
Extract from the Official Report of the Proceedings of Parliament (Hansard). Source — Parliament of Uganda.
