The North Kyoga Police have intervened to halt any further activities related to the election of a new paramount chief, the Won Nyaci of Lango, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
In an official statement issued on October 10, 2024, the police instructed all parties involved to suspend their activities until the Lira High Court resolves the main case next week. This directive comes amid a dispute between two factions, each claiming to represent the legitimate cultural institution of the Lango community.
The Lango Cultural Institution, which held its election in March 2024, declared Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune as the paramount chief. Preparations for his coronation, scheduled for November 2, 2024, are well underway. However, a rival group known as the Lango Cultural Foundation, composed of fewer than 20 clan chiefs, has announced plans to hold a separate election on October 11, 2024.
Colonel (retired) Dan Opito Odwee, chairperson of the Lango Cultural Foundation’s election commission, expressed defiance toward the police directive. Addressing reporters on the afternoon of October 10, 2024, Odwee stated that they would not be intimidated and were proceeding with the election. He emphasized that the entire Lango community had been mobilized to participate through universal adult suffrage.
The Lango Cultural Foundation has nominated four candidates for the position: Richard Nam, Benjamin Okii, Dan Okello, and Dickson Ogwang. Okello and Nam had previously participated in the March election.
In response, North Kyoga Police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema reiterated that all activities related to the paramount chief’s election had been suspended. Okema noted that law enforcement agencies in all nine districts and Lira City would enforce the directive to ensure compliance with the court’s process.
The dispute has escalated to the Lira High Court, where a petition was lodged by members of the Lango Cultural Foundation, including one of the candidates, Benjamin Okii. The plaintiffs are challenging the legitimacy of Odongo Okune’s election. Earlier, the plaintiffs sought an injunction to block the coronation, but Justice Philip Odoki decided to hear the main case and deliver a ruling before the scheduled coronation date.
Out of the six plaintiffs in the case, four have been dismissed due to procedural issues, leaving only Benjamin Okii and Denis Olia as the remaining petitioners. The court also struck out the Lango Cultural Foundation itself as a plaintiff, deeming it a non-entity. Additionally, some key figures in the dispute have shifted their positions, with Robert Tile stepping down in favor of Odongo Okune, and Robert James Ajal, prime minister of the Lango Cultural Foundation, being dismissed by the court.
In its official press release, the North Kyoga Regional Police Command emphasized that all activities related to the paramount chief’s election must be suspended until the court makes a final decision. The police have instructed their officers across the region to monitor and enforce this directive.
The High Court is expected to deliver a ruling before November 2, 2024, the date set for the coronation of Dr. Odongo Okune, which remains in jeopardy until the legal dispute is resolved.
