The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has eulogized the Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Barbara Atim Ogwal, as a role model.
Ogwal’s death was confirmed on Thursday by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among
Speaking from Late Ogwal’s residence in Bugolobi, a suburb of Kampala where she was conveying her condolence Lameck Ogwal, Among said that Ogwal inspired women to join Parliament.
The former Leader of Opposition in Parliament – LOP, Mathias Mpuuga Nsamaba, described Cecilia Ogwal as someone who was immensely humane, committed, and someone who offered candid advice. He added that the late legislator left behind very huge lessons to birding politicians.
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa also eulogized Ogwal describing her death as truly heartbreaking. “You have left us during a time when we needed you the most. This loss is deeply felt, not only by Uganda but by the entire world, especially the parliamentary fraternity.
“You tirelessly worked to earn your place at the right hand of our Father’s throne. We now implore you to pray for us and intercede on our behalf. Your presence will be sorely missed, but your spirit will live on in our hearts,” Tayebwa said.
Tayebwa observed that Ogwal was instrumental in guiding and shaping local leaders, as well as advocating for a just global agenda where the voice of the global south was heard especially in the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States – OACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
Ogwal, passed away on Thursday in a hospital in India where she was reportedly undergoing treatment for a cancer-related illness.
The deceased served as Acting Secretary General of the Uganda People’s Congress – UPC and remained a high-ranking official in the UPC political party until 2004. During the 2006 parliamentary elections, she lost her Lira Municipality seat to Jimmy Akena, the son of UPC founder, and former President Apollo Milton Obote.
In 2011, Ogwal switched political parties and contested and won the Women’s Representative seat for the newly created Dokolo District and contested on the Forum for Democratic Change – FDC party ticket.
She was also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure in charge of overseeing and covering policy matters related to Lands, Housing, Urban Development, Works and Transport, and Physical Planning. She was also a member of the budget committee.
She was a graduate of Commerce from the University of Nairobi). She also holds a Certificate in Human Resources Management from what was then called the Institute of Public Administration but is now known as the Uganda Management Institute. She holds two other certificates; one in Christian Based Values from the Haggai Institute, Singapore, and the other in Public Private Partnership, from Australia.
Ogwal worked at the Uganda Embassy in Kenya, as the Liaison Officer for Returning Ugandan Refugees. Further, she worked as the Operations Manager at the Uganda Advisory Board of Trade. She was one of the founders of the Housing Finance Bank in 1982.
She becomes the 4th serving Member of the 11th Parliament to pass on after Bishop Patrick Okabe the Representative for Serere County, former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah (Omoro County), Charles Okello Macodwogo Engola of Oyam North Constituency.