The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Iteso Cultural Union-ICU Council has named its embattled chairperson, Paul Sande Emolot as an interim Emorimor. The council also passed a resolution to disband the cabinet led by the Prime Minister Augustine Omare Okurut, for alleged insubordination to the council.
The decision was reached during a special council meeting presided over by the council speaker John Francis Ekuma at the ICU offices in Soroti on Wednesday. Ekuma said that the council’s decision is based on the provisions of Article XV11, subsection (d) in (V1) of the ICU Constitution.
According to the constitution, the chairperson of the council deputizes Emorimor and in case of death or impeachment or failure of Emorimor to perform his duties, the chairperson takes the office for six months before the next Emorimor is elected.
The council is the legislative body of the Iteso Cultural Union, which oversees discipline in the office of Emorimor. The chairperson of the council deputizes Emorimor and makes decisions in the institution. ICU council also considers and approves audited accounts of the institution including the approval of all the appointed officials like the prime minister and cabinet.
When the office of Emorimor falls vacant, the chairperson of ICU Council is supposed to notify all delegates and invite interested candidates for election to fill nomination forms. It is from there that an extraordinary conference of the delegates is convened for the same purpose.
The ICU Cabinet led by Augustine Omare Okurut was clearly absent during the ICU council meeting. Omare and his group insist that the ICU Council is not legitimate since the former Emorimor had suspended it before his death. According to the June 14, 2021 letter to the ICU district chairpersons, the former Emorimor suspended the council following irregularities and inconsistencies in their previous elections.
The same letter dissolved the ICU electoral commission. But both Emolot and Ekuma insist that they were not served with the suspension letters. According to Emolot, Emorimor didn’t have the power to suspend the council, which means his letter was null and void.
The council now serving in isolation of the cabinet, has issued a roadmap for the election of Emorimor by August followed by installation in October.
According to the council members, the cabinet has snubbed four consecutive council meetings without any explanations. Article X111, Subsection (a) of the ICU Constitution states that the election of Emorimor should be on a rotational basis from any of the four regions; Northern, Southern, Central and the Eastern regions of Iteso communities in Uganda and Kenya.
The regions are categorized in Article 1 of the ICU Constitution as follows; the northern region comprises the districts of Soroti, Katakwi, Amuria, Kapelebyong, Kaberamaido and Kalaki; the southern region has Kumi, Pallisa, Ngora, Butebo, Pallisa, Mbale and Bukedea while the central region is made up of Tororo, Bugiri, Busia in Uganda, Namayingo, Mayuge and Manafwa districts.
The eastern region is made up of districts in Kenya including Mt. Elgon, Chaptais, Teso North, Teso South, Busia in Kenya, Nambale and Matayos.
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