Lira, Uganda – The Government of Uganda, through a corrigendum published in the Uganda Gazette Extraordinary on April 8, 2025 (Vol. CXVIII No. 29), has clarified the legal status of traditional and cultural institutions in the country-marking a significant moment for cultural governance in Lango and beyond.
The corrigendum, issued under the Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act (CAP. 242), corrects earlier errors in naming cultural institutions and clarifies which entities qualify as “corporation sole” under the law.
Among the key revelations is the correction concerning Lango’s cultural leadership.
For years, many had mistakenly believed that the Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) constituted a legally recognized cultural institution.
However, the High Court ruled that the LCF did not meet the legal threshold to be considered a corporation sole and therefore could neither sue nor be sued under that title.
As a result, the Uganda Gazette has now officially recognized “Won Nyaci me Lango” as the lawful leader of Lango, with Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune listed as its current Cultural Leader.
According to Console Okwir Patrick, spokesperson of the Won Nyaci me Lango, the corrigendum does not introduce a new law but rather clarifies existing legal frameworks.
He explained that previous court decisions had already pointed out that many self-proclaimed cultural institutions were never properly constituted under the law.
The recent publication merely affirms those judicial rulings by formally naming the legitimate cultural institutions and their recognized leaders, whether living, abdicated, or deceased.
The corrigendum not only affects Lango but also corrects listings for other cultural institutions across Uganda.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, led by Minister Hon. Amongi Betty Ongom, authorized the update following legal interpretations and judicial decisions.
The move is seen as a vital step in streamlining the governance of traditional institutions and protecting their role within Uganda’s constitutional framework.
Further publications are expected to formally record the abdication or death of leaders within these corrected institutions.