Gulu City, Uganda – In a move that could potentially reshape the leadership of the Acholi Cultural Institution, a faction of clan chiefs has announced plans to elect a new Paramount Chief on June 14, 2024. The election, scheduled to take place in Kitgum Municipality, comes after a bitter fallout with the current Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II.
The breakaway chiefs, who parted ways with Acana in June last year, accuse him of failing to discharge his responsibilities, neglecting to establish a constitution, and mismanaging resources within the cultural institution. Rwot John Ogenga, the Deputy Interim Chairperson of the faction, emphasized the need for a new leader who can steer the institution forward.
The election will be conducted through secret ballot voting, with Canon Joseph Oneka, a former member of the 1995 Constitutional Commission, serving as the interim speaker. Candidates interested in the paramount chief position must be nominated by a member of the Council of Chiefs and seconded by at least two other members. The newly elected Paramount Chief will serve a five-year term, renewable only once.
The election is guided by a draft constitution gazetted on April 19, 2024, which outlines the operational framework for the cultural institution. The constitution’s implementation has been a point of contention, with the breakaway chiefs accusing Acana of failing to establish a working constitution during his tenure.
Okello Okuna, the spokesperson for the Acholi Cultural Institution, dismissed the election plans, stating that Rwot Acana remains the legitimate leader. Okuna argued that the rival faction lacks the required two-thirds quorum of chiefs and that their efforts are therefore futile.
The Acholi Cultural Institution has launched an investigation into the authenticity of signatures used to support the gazettement of the new constitution, with some chiefs alleging that their signatures were forged.
Critics of Rwot Acana’s leadership argue that the institution’s leadership should be rotational among the 58 Chiefdom rather than remaining solely with the Payira clan.
The upcoming election has the potential to significantly impact the future of the Acholi Cultural Institution. As the June 14 date approaches,there was a problem generating a response. Please try again later.
Credit: URN…..