Gov’t asked to evacuate Acholi paramount chief from London

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The Acholi Parliamentary Group, an umbrella body that brings together parliamentarians from Acholi sub region, has asked the government to evacuate the Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II who is stuck in London.

Rwot Acana traveled to London in March for personal business but was caught up after the United Kingdom announced a lockdown and grounded all flights in and outside the country as a measure to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a meeting held in Kitgum Municipality on Friday, the chairman of the parliamentary Group Phillip Polly Okin requested the Foreign Affairs Ministry to consider evacuating Rwot Acana, a key stakeholder in fighting COVID-19.

Okin says that the  request is in line with a recent government decision to allow the evacuation of Ugandans who are stuck around the world.

Recently the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of Health cleared business mogul Ben Kavuya’s family to return home aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the United States, in what a number of Ugandans said was selective repatriation of those stuck in the diaspora.

Okin says the paramount chief has been outside the country for two months at a time he should be helping his subjects and government in the fight against covid-19.

Ambrose Ola, the Acholi Cultural Institution Premier says it’s important for the paramount chief to be within the region at such a critical time to provide overall guidance and reinforcement to both the cultural institution and the subjects.

Last week, the cultural institution wrote a letter to the Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda copied to Gender Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry requesting for special consideration on repatriating the Paramount Chief.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs [International Affairs] also Chua East Legislator Henry Okello Oryem notes that government is already in the process of making arrangements to fly back a total of 5,000 Ugandans stuck in different parts of the world.

Speaking at the task force meeting, Oryem said that the government is still studying the decision since it may have some consequences considering the fact that some of those stuck are from very high risk countries.

He says the process of returning Ugandans will be in done slowly, and in phased manner adding that once in the country, they may be subjected to 21 days of quarantine with regular health monitoring.

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