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Fight for Acholi chiefdom leadership takes new twist
The Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot David Onen Acana II. Photo | File
What you need to know:
The aggrieved chiefs assert that the unanimous decision to remove Rwot Acana was made during a sitting of the Council of Chiefs, and they have gained the council’s support to proceed with the constitution’s development
Chiefs from the Acholi Cultural Institution, who claim to have ousted Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II, have declared their intention to establish autonomy over the Acholi community once they create a new constitution.
The aggrieved chiefs assert that the unanimous decision to remove Rwot Acana was made during a sitting of the Council of Chiefs, and they have gained the council’s support to proceed with the constitution’s development.
Rwot Acana was elected by the 57 chiefs of Acholi in February 2002 to head the chiefdom of Acholi.
“The position of the Paramount Chief is ceremonial, all Acholi chiefs are equal in status, the paramount chief is simply the chairman of chiefs nothing more and does not have any executive powers to exercise in any way,” Mr Justin Ociti Binyi (Pagak chief) said.
On Wednesday, during a press briefing in Gulu City, the chiefs led by the Atiak chief, Mr Richard Santo Apire, said the constitution would be ready in October before the council sits in December to elect a substantive paramount chief.
“The constitution will define the role of the paramount chief and his cabinet members. The process involves consultation, we will go round and take views from every chief and each chief has members who will have contributions to make that we shall incorporate in the constitution,” Mr Apire said.
He added: “On October 15, we shall present the draft constitution before the chiefs and give them two weeks to critique and we then adopt it as our new constitution. On December 15, we shall then hold a special sitting of all chiefs to elect the new paramount chief, all the 58 chiefs are free to turn up for the elections and whoever is elected, we shall respect them.”
The chiefs also contend that Rwot Acana’s continued occupation of the chiefdom’s palace is illegal, and they plan to challenge it in court.
“Our position is that he (Rwot Acana) must vacate the chiefdom palace and return to his village. If he does not, we will use mediation, if he does not listen to us, the law is there and we shall go for him, and we are sure that we shall find a final solution,” Mr Apire said.
The briefing was also attended by Mr Michael Ojok Aginya (Bwobo chief), Mr John Peko Lugai (Pajule chief) and Mr Francis Okello Mawa, the mobiliser.
Mr Ojok Aginya said a new constitution and leadership will breed peace, unity and economic development.
“Last week, we were at the Ministry of Gender in Kampala to certify and validate our progress, our teams are on the ground in different parts of the sub-region to form a constitution and that is our way forward and how the chiefs will operate not for the Acholi as a tribe,” he said.
Whereas Rwot Acana is currently holding consultative meetings in several parts of the sub-region to consolidate the support of chiefs and develop a constitution, Mr Aginya said his trips and meetings were illegal.
During a July 8 sitting of the council of Acholi chiefs at the chiefdom palace in Gulu City, Rwot Acana warned Mr Apire to stop divisions among the Acholi.
The chiefs resolved to fire chiefdom prime minister Ambrose Olaa over causing confusion in the chiefdom.
Mr Olaa was also accused of sharing confidential information from the chiefdom administration with a faction of rebel chiefs, who recently claimed to have ousted Acholi Paramount Chief.
Genesis
Trouble sparked at the chiefdom on June 20, following a sitting in Gulu City when a group of 41 aggrieved clan chiefs led by Mr Collins Muttu Atiko of Patiko Clan declared that they had dethroned Rwot Acana and his deputy, Mr Martin Otinga Atuka Otto Yai II.
The chiefs reasoned that their action was taken in the best interest of the chiefdom and the Acholi community.
They accused Rwot Acana of corruption and mismanagement during the construction of houses of chiefs under PRDP which resulted in lesser value and lower workmanship houses.
Other allegations include attempting to sell land belonging to the Acholi community contrary to public pronouncements, and breaching protocol by moving into territories of other chiefs without the knowledge of the respective chiefs.
Rwot response
On the issue of being ousted, Rwot Acana says the agenda of the rebel chiefs was being politically-propelled.
“Let them not use the name of the council of chiefs because we called them for a reconciliatory meeting and they avoided it. If they want top ‘eat’ somewhere, let them do it without using the name opf the chiefdom or the Acholi as a people,” he said.
On the land he attempted to sell Rwot Acana said the land belonged to him and that he requested for it from the President as an individual.
“That land beloings to me and all the titles and documents are in my name. There is no protocol that bars me besides my position, to own a private property or asset. I processed the title for that land using my own resources and not that of the chiefdom,”Rwot Acana said.
On failure to develop a constitution, Rwot Acana accused particular members of frustrating his efforts.
