Confusion as newspaper claims ‘speaker Jacob Oulanyah critically sick with Covid19, to be airlifted abroad for specialized treatment’

A report by popular Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper claiming that speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah is critically ill and set to be airlifted abroad for specialized treatment has thrown many into confusion.

The report carried as the tabloid’s lead story for June 22 shouts ‘OULANYAH CRITICALLY ILL.’

But NBS TV news anchor Samson Kasumba claimed Jacob Oulanyah was healthy and alive.

“Disregard anything you hear circulating around that is definitely not fact checked. I have proof that Jacob Oulanyah is alive, in great health and spirits,” Kasumba wrote.

“I just spoke to Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah seconds ago. I still can’t understand why people do these things. It is very lazy.”

Team Jacob Oulanyah also issued a statement dismissing the report on the speaker’s health condition.

“Fellow Countrymen and Women…Kindly disregard the false alarmist reports about Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. He is well and in great spirits. At the moment, just like majority of you, he is working from home. Please wear your mask, sanitize, wash hands and stay at home.”