The Paramount Chief Yosam Odur Ebii had earlier promised to exist off early this year. Photos by Simon Eluk.
By Simon Eluk
Lira: A row continues to rock the Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) over the election of the new paramount chief after Won Nyaci Yosam Odur Ebii expressed willingness to pass the mantle to another successor.
The conflict in the chiefdom started in 2012 after a section of clan leaders disagreed with the leadership of Won Nyaci Odur and proposed the election of the new chief.
In 2017, they picked the former executive director of Uganda Road Fund, Eng. Dr. Michael Odongo Okune as a parallel paramount chief prompting him to form another splinter group, Tekwaro Lango leaving Odur with LCF.
In October 2023, Odur 94, released a roadmap to elect his successor and subsequent handover in December 2024. He also appointed six members of the electoral commission to head the process of picking another chief.
The team headed by Tom Otim, a retired head teacher had scheduled January 31, 2024, as a possible date for electing the new paramount chief.
But in December, 2023, the Lango Religious Leaders’ Forum held a reconciliatory prayer to end the wrangles between Odur and Odongo Okune and both parties agreed to bury the past and work together for the development of Lango.
Electoral commission dismissal
However, three weeks ago Odur dismissed all the members of the commission saying he was not being consulted in whatever was going on in the cultural institution and promised to appoint another commission.
He also re-scheduled the election date to November 2024, on claims that it would enable him accomplish a task ahead of him.
A section of clan chiefs emerged and held a meeting at Margarita Palace Hotel in Lira City to forge a possible way to propel the chief to reverse the decision.
The leaders instead suspended the legitimate speaker of the institution, Benson Dila Oyuku, who is also the chairperson of Oyam district, and replaced him with Willy Omodo Omodo, as the interim speaker.
They accused Dila of not implementing their key resolutions of fostering the process of electing the new Chief, and working with Odur to frustrate their efforts, a statement Dila dismissed as illegal.
According to the information minister, Jacob Ocen, the Margarita meeting was illegal and the resolutions reached at were null and void.
In the meeting according to Omodo, they resolved that the suspended team (EC) be reinstated, resume work and election date for the new Won Nyaci still stands.
Omodo said he didn’t appoint himself but was duly elected by the clan leaders and will steer the process of electing a new paramount chief.
“Let them bear with me like that because I didn’t impose myself on them but I was just given the task,” Omodo Omodo said.
No vacancy
But in a communication to the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) Won Nyaci Odur said, election of the new paramount chief cannot go on because it will contravene section 8 of the institution of Traditional or cultural leaders Act of 2011 and chapter 8 Article 3 of the constitution of Lango Cultural Foundation.
“This section stipulates that in case of abdication by a traditional or cultural leader, the abdication is published in the gazette by the line ministry to create vacancy in the institution,” he said in his letter to the minister.
He added that he had not yet abdicated his office or lawfully ceased to be the cultural leader of Lango and no official gazette has been published by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
“This makes the election referred to you (MGLSD) by the electoral commission legally and constitutionally untenable,” he concluded.
LC5 chairpersons guide
Under their umbrella, Lango District Chairpersons and City Mayors Forum guided the institution and the conflicting parties to work within the framework of the law, for the confusion to end.
“We the members of the above forum observed that the above confusion can easily be resolved if the disputing groups agreed to respect and follow the law and the provision of the Lango cultural foundation constitution,” the leaders said in a statement on 6th February.
The statement signed by their chairperson who is also Alebtong district boss, David Kenndy Odongo, noted that the disputing parties should put the interest of Lango above personal gains and interest.
“Where a traditional or cultural leader abdicates or ceases to be a traditional or cultural leader, the minister shall cause the abdication or cessation to be published in the gazette,” read part of the press statement.
They added that all this time since the demand for the election started. Won Nyaci Yosam Odur Ebii, has not yet abdicated, neither has there been a gazette publication to that effect.
“No election can yet be done unless the gazette is published and elections be organized for a position that is not vacant,” Odongo said.
He said the constitution of LCF also stipulates that Won Nyaci rules for life and when he is alive, a vacancy is created if he abdicates or ceases to be a traditional leader.
“By lawful means, it is the speaker of LCF that can declare a vacancy not an interim speaker,” he added.
Odongo said if the disputing parties fail to adhere to the relevant laws as local government in the sub region, they will not hesitate to invoke laws to restrain any further crisis that may destroy the harmony.
