By Christopher Oola
Ker Kwaro Acholi (the Acholi Cultural Institution) has said it will not be part of the upcoming election of the new Paramount Chief (Lawii Rwodi Acholi).
This was after the rival chiefs who broke off from the Ker Kwaro Acholi issued a statement setting a date for the election of the new Paramount chief. The said election is set to take place on the 14th of this month at Acaki Lodge in Kitgum Municipality.
However Okello Okuna, the Acholi Cultural Institution spokesperson, dismissed the election as sham saying the cultural institution will not be part of it.
This comes more than 10 months after a section of chiefs broke off from the cultural institution and denounced the leadership of the Paramount Chief Rwot David Onen Acana II and his deputy Otinga Atuka Yai II.
The rival chiefs accuse Rwot Acana of among others failing to draft a constitution for the cultural institution ever since he was installed, attempts to sell off a piece of land belonging to the cultural institution, and poor leadership.
The rival chiefs then appointed the Atiak Chiefdom leader Rwot Richard Santo Apire as an interim chairperson of a select executive committee to oversee the transition of leadership at the cultural institution within six months and the drafting of a legal framework to help govern Ker Kwaro Acholi.
Rwot Justine Ocitti Binyi of Pagak clan, said the election was called after the new constitution for the cultural institution was gazzetted by the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development on month April, 19, 2024. According to Rwot Binyi II, all the gazetted 58 chiefs in Acholi have been served with the invitation letters for the election.
According to the newly gazetted constitution of Acholi Cultural Institution, the tenure of office for the newly elected Paramount Chief of Acholi will be for a five-year term and renewable only once. The candidate for the coming election according to the interim committee will be nominated by a member of the Council of Chiefs and seconded by at least two other members of the council and must be dully installed per the tradition and customs of his clans.
This comes after a section of leaders and elders from the Acholi Sub-region have called on the government to withhold emoluments to Ker Kwaro Acholi.
The cultural institution head gets a monthly payment of 5 million shillings from the government to help in the execution of duties at the institution.
However recently, the Parliament approved a UGX60M monthly salary payment to traditional and cultural leaders, a directive that was issued by President Museveni.
