Prime
Rwot Acana suspends Acholi ‘rebel’ chiefs
The Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot David Onen Acana II. Photo | File
What you need to know:
During a press conference on Tuesday, the chiefdom accused the chiefs of spreading hate and divisions among the Acholi
A group of ‘rebel’ chiefs, who recently claimed they removed and replaced the Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II, have been suspended from chiefdom activities.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the chiefdom accused the chiefs of spreading hate and divisions among the Acholi.
The suspended chiefs include Mr Richard Santo Apire (Atiak chief), Mr Michael Ojok Aginya (Bwobo chief), Mr John Peko Lugai (Pajule chief) and Mr Francis Okello Mawa, the mobiliser.
Speaking to journalists at the chiefdom palace, Rwot Acana said the Council of Chiefs sitting in Kalongo Town Council, Agago District, last weekend unanimously approved the suspension.
“Because they went astray, which has brought the Acholi chiefdom into disrepute, the Council of Chiefs has suspended them from the operations of the institution until they apologise to the Acholi people and pay the fines,” Rwot Acana said, without disclosing the details of the fines.
He added that said the rebellious chiefs will be subjected to particular rituals (cleansing) after they broke into the chiefdom’s compound on June 20.
“The things they are doing now are not correct, they are forging the official chiefdom documents, headed papers, stamp and seal, they have doctored these documents several times, and these are all not binding,” he alleged.
According to him, the rebel chiefs are moving across the region to incite the population against the current leadership.
Whereas the aggrieved chiefs recently accused Rwot Acana of several criminal counts, including corruption and attempting to illegally sell off the chiefdom’s properties, on Tuesday he said they turned down several invitations to meetings to address the matter.
He also explained that the convener of the council of chiefs’ meeting did not have any authority to do so without express authorisation from him or his deputy.
“The council sitting that claimed to have removed me was convened by a chief who had no mandate to convene the sitting,” he added.
Earlier, the ‘rebel’ chiefs led by Mr Richard Santo Apire, accused the Democratic Party leadership of fermenting division by inviting only the Rwot Acana team to the homecoming event held on Saturday, last week.
The aggrieved chiefs assert that the 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 development of the chiefdom’s constitution.
On July 21, this newspaper reported that the chiefs led by Mr Richard Santo Apire said the constitution would be ready in October before the council sits in December to elect a substantive paramount chief.
“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.
Trouble at the chiefdom started on June 20, 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.
They accused Rwot Acana of corruption and mismanagement during the construction of houses of chiefs under PRDP, and attempting to sell land belonging to the chiefdom.
In response, Rwot Acana on Tuesday, insisted that the agenda of the rebel chiefs was being politically motivated and threatened legal action once they continued to use the name of the institution.
