By Spy Uganda
Mzee Nathan Okori Adiyo, the father of former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, has passed away at the age of 97.
Family members confirmed that Mzee Okori died on the evening of Friday, March 20, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor in Gulu City, where he had been admitted two days earlier after developing respiratory complications.
His death comes exactly four years after the passing of his son, Oulanyah, who died on March 20, 2022, in Seattle while undergoing specialized medical treatment.
Oulanyah served as Speaker of Parliament from May 2021 until his death, having previously held the position of Deputy Speaker for a decade from 2011 to 2021. He was laid to rest on April 8, 2022, at his ancestral home in Lalogi.
Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, the Omoro County Member of Parliament and grandson of the deceased, said the body had been transferred to Lacor Hospital’s mortuary pending a postmortem examination. He paid tribute to his grandfather, describing him as a patriarch whose passing marks a profound loss to the family.
Justice Minister Norbert Mao also expressed his condolences, noting the striking coincidence of Mzee Okori’s death occurring on the same date as his son’s passing four years earlier.
Mzee Okori had drawn national attention in April 2022 during his son’s burial when he publicly questioned the official cause of Oulanyah’s death, alleging foul play instead of the reported illness.
His passing marks the end of a long life that spanned nearly a century, leaving behind a legacy closely tied to one of Uganda’s prominent political figures.
