{UAH} RIOT POLICE BLOCK LANGO CLAN LEADERS FROM ELECTING NEW PARAMOUNT CHIEF-FROM BUSOGA CULTURAL CRISIS-BLOCKING KABAKA VISIT-TO MUMBERE SAGA IN KASESE-MUSEVENI MAY ABOLISH KINGDOMS!!!

Riot police block Lango clan heads from electing new chief

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Mr Tom Ogwal Atocon, 68, a clan leader, confronts police in Lira Town on Friday. He said government is forcing Odur on the people of Lango. PHOTO BY HUDSON APUNYO. 

By Hudson Apunyo

Posted  Sunday, March 2  2014 at  02:00

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Lira

Riot police blocked a council of clan leaders from Pacific Grand Hotel where they were scheduled to convene to elect a new Paramount Chief to replace Yosam Odur Ebii whose term they claim has expired.

Police stormed the hotel and ordered the gate closed before many clan leaders entered. The District Police Commander, Mr Ashraf Chemonges Seiko, told them the meeting could not take place because there was a court injunction. He then ordered them to disperse. “Anybody who disobeys orders shall be dispersed by force which may follow use of firearms and such a person is liable to arrest and prosecution,” Mr Chemonges charged on Friday as he ordered said reinforcements of the riot police.

There was a heated debate as clan leaders blamed police for turning cultural issues political. Mr Tom Ogwal Atocon, 68, a clan leader, said government is forcing Odur on the people of Lango. He wondered why the government restored cultural institutions if they cannot allow them to function independently.

Mr Ogwal claimed Odur wants to drag everybody to the NRM party. “We shall not accept to give Museveni votes as we did in the last elections come 2016,” said Mr Jurubabel Opio Okori, also a clan leader.

“Semata (former district police commander) messed up this traditional issue and we thought you would do things the right way,” Patrick Jaramogi, a youth leader, told Mr Chemonges. Mr Chemonges shot back that he was not bothered by his predecessor’s deeds.

The cultural institution has split into factions. One faction supports the Paramount Chief Yosam Odur while another is loyal to the Speaker Wakili Okello.

The clan leaders appointed Benjamin Okii as a caretaker chief.
In April last year, the prime minister of Lango Cultural Foundation Tony Otoa and the Principal Private Secretary to the paramount chief Joel Odongo Amen were forced to resign their positions after several allegations against them.

By the time of filing this report, the clan leaders were planning to go ahead with the election at another venue in town.

Genesis of the conflict

The conflict in the cultural institution started after the proposal to have a new constitution. The draft was made and one of the provisions stated that the paramount chief should be below 80 years.

This prompted Mr Odur to appoint a new team on the Constitution review committee.
On the day the draft was to be presented to the council of clan leaders for approval in April last year police blocked the meeting.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

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Aroma Patrick

Executive Director-Camkwoki Grass Root Initiative For Development

And Secretary for Administration and Coordination of Lango Community Development Cluster-Consortium of Ten  NGO'S,Cooperative Societies and one Company

Managing Director

Camkwoki Investments Limited
And Founder&Chairman  Lira Innovative Business Club Association-Consortium of Thirty Registered Companies Pooling Resources Together and Doing Diverse Businesses
P.o Box 268-Lira,Tel-0782-658-458,0791-616-766,0702-658-459,0755524343

My Motto "OBSTACLES CAN'T STOP ME,PROBLEMS CAN'T STOP ME AND ABOVE ALL THE MAFIAS AND THE DEVILS SHALL NEVER-NEVER-NEVER STOP ME"