Lira, Uganda | Maj. (Rtd) Fred Gawera has been enthroned as the Awitong (Clan Chief) of Okadameri Clan, with a strong appeal for unity among the people of Lango amid ongoing cultural leadership disputes.
Gawera, speaking on Tuesday at Garden Inn Hotel in Lira City, said divisions stemming from disagreements over the Won-Nyaci (Paramount Chief) position had split several clans, including Okadameri. He urged patience as the matter between the Lango Cultural Foundation and the Lango Cultural Institution remains before court.
He emphasized that disputes would not foster progress and called on all clans to remain calm and united as they await a court ruling to determine the rightful Paramount Chief of Lango.
Gawera explained that his rise to the throne followed a directive from former Awitong Jimmy Anthony Oyuku, who relocated to Canada in 2023 after handing over instruments of power and office equipment to him to manage clan affairs.
He noted that Oyuku later authorized the clan’s electoral commission through a December 2025 voice note shared on WhatsApp and local radio to organise elections for a substantive clan leader after realizing his prolonged stay abroad.
The electoral process, which ran from January 5 to January 18, 2026, attracted only one aspirant, Gawera, leading the Okadameri Clan Electoral Commission, chaired by Okello Denis, to declare him unopposed. He subsequently took oath before a Lira City counsel.
Gawera was formally enthroned on March 29, 2026, in Aduku, Kwania District.
Presiding over the enthronement, Okii Bura Clan Chief Benjamin Okii cautioned community members against illegal land practices, particularly targeting property belonging to orphans and widows. He urged that land disputes be handled through proper channels and encouraged the new clan chief to execute his duties with firmness and integrity.
Gawera previously served as Deputy Minister of Education and Sports in the Okadameri Clan leadership under Oyuku before internal divisions saw sections of the leadership align with rival cultural factions.
Born on October 10, 1964, in Baraduu Village, Wigweng Parish, Atongtidi Subcounty in Kwania District, Gawera is a retired Uganda People’s Defence Forces officer, having served from 1984 until his retirement in 2022 at the rank of Major.
He holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering, specialising in bridge construction, from Fort Leonard in the United States. He currently heads Operation Wealth Creation in Kwania District.
Gawera attended Cawente Primary School and Cawente Secondary School before joining the military.
His enthronement comes at a time when cultural unity in Lango remains a key concern, with leaders increasingly calling for reconciliation and collective focus on development.
