Court blocks Ogwang from ‘masquerading’ as rival Lango paramount Chief

High Court in Lira has blocked Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) – a company limited by guarantee – and their agents from handing over the office of Won Nyaci (Paramount Chief of Lango) to Dickson Ogwang Okul.
 
Mr Ogwang recently informed the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among that he was elected as the rival Won Nyaci on October 11, 2024.
 
The court further restrained the LCF’s electoral commission from informing the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi Ongom, that Ogwang is the newly-elected Won Nyaci for the purpose of causing his name to be published in the gazette.
 
The respondents have also been blocked from participating in any further acts or activities with the intention to install or portray Ogwang Okul as the Paramount Chief of Lango pending the hearing and final determination of Civil Suit No. 10 of 2024.
 
The October 28, 2024 verdict by Justice Phillip Odoki follows an application lodged by Eng Dr Michael Odongo Okune, George Ojwang Opota and Willie Omodo Omodo against Denis Obia Acila, Benjamin Okii, Ogwang Okul, Dr Dan Okello, Dr Richard Nam, Dan Opito Odwee, and Dennis Jaramogi Okwir (respondents).
 
The applicants were seeking a temporary injunction to restrain the respondents or their agents from participating in or carrying out the elections of the Paramount Chief of Lango, swearing in, or installing any person as Paramount Chief of Lango, among other related activities organised by Lango Cultural Foundation or its electoral body.
 
Obia Acila and Okii, all Lango by tribe and clan heads of their respective clans, had earlier instituted a civil suit against Eng Dr Odongo Okune, Omodo Omodo, Ojwang Opota, together with three others, challenging the election of Eng Dr Odongo Okune as the Paramount Chief of Lango.
 
The former executive director of Uganda Road Fund (Eng Dr Odongo Okune) was elected to the highly respected position of authority on March 1, 2024.
 
However, Obia Acila and Okii contended that the election, which they escribed as null and void, was marred with illegalities. 
The applicants filed their written statement of Defense (WSD) denying the claims in the plaint. They instead filed a counterclaim against the respondents wherein they allege that Eng Dr Odongo Okune was elected the Paramount Chief of Lango. They further allege that it is the respondents who were participating in a fresh election of the Paramount Chief of Lango without following the procedure.
 
In the counterclaim, they sought a permanent injunction restraining the respondents from organising parallel elections of the Paramount Chief of Lango and any other remedies this court deemed fit.
 
“In the end, I find that this application has merit. It is accordingly granted. The respondents and their agents are hereby restrained from participating in any activity leading to handing over the office of the Paramount Chief of Lango to the 3rd Respondents,” Justice Odoki ruled.
 
“The costs of this application shall abide by the outcome of Civil Suit No. 10 of 2024. I so order.”
 
This means if successfully challenged within five days, Dr Odongo Okune will be enthroned on November 2, 2024.