Lira City, Uganda – In a significant development, Paramount Chief Mzee Yosam Odur Ebii has appointed a new Electoral Commission for the Lango Cultural Foundation, paving the way for a smooth transition of power and the election of a new paramount chief on November 1, 2024.
The appointment, announced on June 17, 2024, sees Col. (Rtd) Dan Opito Odwe as Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Denis Okwir Jaramogi as Vice Chairman, Tonny Ongar as Secretary, and Molly Akello and Charles Ojok as members. This move follows the paramount chief’s intention to retire from his cultural leadership role, as indicated in a notice in the Uganda Gazette on April 19, 2024.
Addressing the press at Palm Gardens in Lira City, Ambassador Dickson Ogwang Okul, Clan Head of Palacol and current Ugandan Ambassador to Sudan, emphasized the importance of unity and respect for cultural heritage. “Cultural spirits and traditions must be respected,” he urged. “These cultural spirits exist, and we must recognize and honour them. Let us unite under legal and cultural protocols to ensure a peaceful transition.”
Ogwang Okul, a lawyer and veteran diplomat with over 30 years of service in the Ugandan government, expressed his readiness to contest in the forthcoming Wonyaci Election. If elected, he is prepared to leave his foreign affairs service to focus entirely on cultural leadership.
The new appointments come on the heels of a previous electoral commission dissolution, which had sparked surprise and unrest in the Lango community. The fresh start signals a commitment to upholding the Lango Cultural Foundation Constitution Chapter 3 of 2017, which grants the paramount chief the authority to appoint the electoral body.
As the newly formed Electoral Commission prepares to oversee the upcoming election, all members of the Lango community are expected to participate in selecting their new leader. However, the electoral process has not been without controversy. A faction of clan heads had elected Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune as Wonyaci of Lango on March 1, 2024, but this election was boycotted by a significant number of clan heads who have since vowed to adhere to lawful procedures for the November election.
Dr. Laury Lawrence Ocen, Clan Head of Okarowok Wibye Acel, denounced the election of Eng. Dr. Odongo Okune as illegal, stating that it lacked adherence to the Lango Cultural Foundation Constitution. Dr. Ocen accused Odongo Okune of manipulating the electoral process and expressed his faction’s refusal to acknowledge him as the Paramount Chief Elect.
Jacob Ocen, spokesperson for the Lango Cultural Foundation, reinforced the stance that only the Foundation holds the mandate to organize the election. He dismissed any parallel election efforts by Eng. Dr. Odongo Okune’s faction as unauthorized, stating that the Lango Cultural Foundation is a legal entity and is not receiving threats of arrest from anyone.
As the election date approaches, the Lango community stands at a crossroads, facing the challenge of unifying under new leadership while adhering to the cultural and legal frameworks that define their heritage. The newly appointed Electoral Commission will play a crucial role in navigating these complexities to ensure a fair and legitimate election.
The Lango Cultural Foundation has urged the media to report accurately and stop spreading insults, emphasizing their commitment to upholding the cultural spirits and traditions that are significant to the community.