Agency
Leaders in Acholi and peace-building stakeholders have renewed calls for unity among divided clan chiefs, urging Paramount Chief Rwot Onen David Acana II to reconcile warring factions within the Acholi Cultural Institution.
The appeal was made on March 24, 2026, during celebrations marking the 60th birthday of Rwot Acana at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu City.
The Acholi Chiefdom has been grappling with internal divisions since June 2023, with some clan chiefs remaining loyal to Rwot Acana, while others have rallied behind Richard Santos Apire, the chief of Atiak Clan.
The Deputy Chairperson of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative, Sheikh Musa Khalil, called for reconciliation among the chiefs, emphasizing the need to restore hope among the Acholi people.
Diplomat and former Uganda People’s Congress president Olara Otunnu also urged forgiveness among the Acholi people to ease reconciliation efforts among the chiefs.
In response, Rwot Acana said he is willing to engage the divided chiefs to understand the root causes of the conflict and find a lasting solution.
The division, largely fueled by allegations of corruption and misuse of cultural property, led a faction of chiefs in 2024 to declare Rwot Acana removed as Paramount Chief. The group subsequently installed Rwot Apire as the new Paramount Chief, with Rwot John Ogenga Obita as his deputy.
