Inside fight to dethrone Acholi paramount chief

On June 10, Rwot Acana petitioned the URSB over the illegality and fraud in the constitution. The paramount chief described the registered legal document as “misleading and inaccurate”, adding that its “illegal endorsements [and] information … would have prevented us from registering the said document if it had been brought to our attention at the time of registration of the legal document.” 

Splinter into factions
In early February, Mr Apire and his faction applied to and registered their legal document, a constitution for the Governance of a Cultural Institution. We’ve established that the application was processed and approved on February 24 under instrument number 171033125977. 

On June 14, Mr Apire and his faction convened in Kitgum Municipality for a general election during which he was overwhelmingly elected as the new paramount chief. In the election conducted at the private residence of Mr John Ogenga Obita, one of the clan chiefs, Mr Ogenga Obita, Mr Collins Atiko Muttu (Patiko clan), and Mr John Peko Lugai (Pajule clan) were elected as the first deputy paramount chief, second deputy paramount chief, and speaker, respectively. 

The organisers told us that 25 chiefs participated in the electoral process that law enforcement officers tried to block. 
In a statement, the police said the planned meeting did not follow the legal and cultural practices, and it risked causing conflicts. 

“There is a national threat alert currently, and the meeting is being planned in a very intense environment. Given the intensity surrounding the said meeting, the chosen venue, being a private property and business premises, is not conducive and secure for the said meeting if the meeting unfolds in an unanticipated way.” 
The Aswa East Regional Police held an emergency meeting with Mr Apire and five other chiefs at Kitgum Central Police Station. Despite resolving to postpone the election, Mr Apire reportedly regrouped his team at about 8pm and conducted the elections at Mr Ogenga’s home under the cover of darkness. 

Fraud claims
The withdrawal of the gazetted constitution by government after the June 14 election now punctures the planned eviction of Rwot Acana. In a statement issued last week by the rival faction of the chief spokesman, the successful election was to be followed by the constitutionally-established roadmap and processes leading to the eventual installation of Mr Apire onto the throne at the palace in Gulu City. There has since been a change of tack.
 
“Let it be known that there are several desperate measures to sabotage the ongoing process, like a divide-and-rule campaign by appealing to individual chiefs based on relations—blood and marriage, alleged bribery efforts, alleged intimidation, and blackmail, among others,” Mr Robert Adongakulu, the spokesperson of the rival chiefs faction, said, adding that “there is…a working document to operationalise the election” and it was successfully lodged with URSB that “published [it] in the national gazette for a mandatory two-week period, as required by law.”

However, the election, which allegedly was attended by 12 clan chiefs, has since sparked controversy following allegations of fraud due to falsification of signatories. Claims of falsification of signatories have this week been flying around, with inside sources telling us that less than 15 of the 25 chiefs took part in the impugned election. Many of the 25 chiefs organisers claimed to take part in the electoral process were unavailable both physically and remotely. 

When Monitor, however, reached out to Mr Roy Logene of the Chua clan, whose telephone number and signature appeared on the attendance list, he denied participation in the meeting. He also denied sending a representative to the meeting as the organisers claim. 

On June 11, Rwot Acana convened a meeting with clan chiefs at his palace to discuss the “continuous provocation, manipulative, fraudulent, and dishonest conducts of some breakaway chiefs” whom he said had consistently purported to be acting on behalf of Ker Kwaro Acholi by extorting money from the public. The meeting developed several steps to deconflict the chiefdom, including notifying security organs across the region about the “illegal” activities of the dissident chiefs. 

“The chiefs whose signatures were allegedly forged by the rebellious group to help them gazette their constitution fraudulently denounced and disassociated themselves from the unethical behaviour of these desperate chiefs,” Rwot said. 
The chiefs are Thomas Ocen Lakidi (Paimol), Samson Odongo Alata (Chua), Ocan Jino (Kwong Pamolo), George Odwar Opobo (Adilang), Martine Ojwiya (Agoro Lugorone), Jackson Okongo (Paluga), Martine Oyoo (Pacer), and Poppy Paul Arop (Pagen). Others are Omal Alfred (Madi Kiloc), Patrick Abwoch (Palaro), Charles Lamony (Paibona), Jimmy Olula (Kal Agum), and Martine Ocibo (Wol).
It was also pointed out that Mr Apire is not the Rwot of Atiak, but Acero Bongorwot who was consecrated in February 2022.
 
Fights evolved
Trouble sparked at the chiefdom this week when Mr Apire led a group of about 11 aggrieved clan chiefs who met in Gulu City and declared that they had dethroned Acana and his deputy, Mr Martin Otinga Atuka Otto Yai II. Both Acana and Otinga have been in their respective offices since the inception of Ker Kwaro Acholi in 2000. 

The aggrieved chiefs, in a declaration document we saw, detailed several reasons for dethroning Acana, including corruption and mismanagement. This, they claim was during the construction of houses of chiefs under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP), which resulted in lesser value and lower workmanship houses.  Acana is also accused of selling customary land belonging to the Acholi community contrary to public pronouncements against the same. 

“Illegal disposal of Acholi chiefdom assets, particularly the alleged attempt of sale of the institution land situated at plot 5a Airfield Road to National Social Security Fund (NSSF). This shows a lack of credibility and integrity in the person of Rwot Acana,” the declaration document says. 

“Failure to disclose donations and grants and gifts to the institution, non-disclosure of Shs6 million in court awarded to the chiefdom in a legal dispute with Human Rights Focus over institutional land at 5a Airfield Road,” it adds.
Misappropriation of funds meant to carry out activities for peace committees and dialogue at grassroots levels in Apaa is evidenced by the non-disclosure of Shs100 million to chiefs, which was given by the government to the chiefdom for consultation on the Apaa land matters, the document further notes.

“The non-disclosure and possible misappropriation of this fund have resulted in exacerbation or worsening of the security and plight of residents of Apaa. This singular act demonstrated a complete lack of care and empathy for the plight of a section of Acholi by the Paramount Chief.”  

Dubious past?
The council of chiefs, which the paramount chief heads, is known and recognised as the institution of traditional authorities and custodians of Acholi culture among national and international actors. On November 18, 2004, the government issued a certificate of registration to the chiefdom under registration index 146221. The following day, Rwot Acana made a statutory declaration before the commissioner of oaths over the same. 

In the registration documents, this newspaper confirmed that Acana registered the chiefdom as a business, whose nature was researching and developing cultural values. He registered it as an entity to be run with six other individuals as partners, including Dan Okuna, Wilson Lutara, Simon Gunya, and Okello Olobo, among others. 
The 57 chiefs of Acholi officially elected Rwot Acana in February 2002 to head the chiefdom of Acholi and be the leader of all chiefs. 

“We have never undermined any chief because Acana did not illegally strip any chief of their rightful titles. We have advocated for unity among the chiefs, but instead, these five chiefs whose agendas are unknown are creating division, and not all the 57 chiefs are complaining,” Mr Otinga disclosed, adding of the alleged fraud in the construction of the chiefs’ houses thus: “These documents and maps came from the President’s office and Acana, and I know nothing about the structure’s design. These people from the President’s office came with the maps and design, and we did not even reach the locations of these structures.”  
Mr Otinga also told Monitor that Rwot Acana individually wrote to the President’s office seeking to be allowed ownership of the land that belonged to the government and that he now owns the land. 

Reactions
On Wednesday, Mr Robert Adongakulu, the spokesperson of the warring faction of chiefs, issued a statement denying knowledge of URSB’s actions against them.
“Our attention has been drawn to a June 14 letter, bearing the logo and address of the URBS, that is circulating on social media to the effect that the constitution has been expunged from its registry, following a complaint made to URSB by an individual,” Mr Adongakulu said.

 “We would like to inform all concerned that none of the officials or persons associated with the chiefdom administration whose names are listed in the said letter has been officially informed or notified by URSB of the purported action taken about the constitution,” he said. We are, therefore, in the process of establishing the source of the letter to ascertain its authenticity, or otherwise, once the truth has been established, we shall take appropriate action by the law,” he added.

 However, Mr Okello Okuna, the Acholi chiefdom spokesperson, said the election that was held in Kitgum was illegitimate and that the trashing of the alleged constitution was proof that the warring group had ill intentions regarding their claim to the chiefdom leadership.

 “The election is not legitimate, and the only person who can call for an election or meeting is the paramount chief, which is gazetted; and he is Rwot David Onen Acana II, and for any election to take place, there must be a vacant position, and the position of the paramount chief is not vacant,” Mr Okuna said.

 Mr Okuna urged the Acholi community to remain calm: “The chiefdom is in the process of forming a genuine constitution, and the exercise is ongoing. Those chiefs should be able to join hands with us, and we work together after meeting the earlier punishment levied on them.”
 Meanwhile, Sheikh Musa Khalil, the Northern Uganda regional mufti, is worried that unless the rift is resolved, it could destabilise peace.

 “These Acholi elders and the Acholi generally as a tribe should be under the leadership of one paramount chief because this power rivalry is most likely to bring in inter-clan conflicts among the people; this calls for dialogue and reconciliation among them,” Sheik Khalil said.  According to him, chiefs are born, not elected. “So this leadership of the cultural institution should not be taken as a political position where everybody is fighting for it.”