The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Yosam Odur Ebii, the Paramount Chief of the Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) has declared his intention to relinquish power and handover office to a new leader come December 2024. Muzee Odur, 94, has been at the helm of the Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) for two decades following his uncontested election by the council of Clan heads (Owitong) in 2003 in Apac district.
In an October 10th, 2023 letter, the paramount chief released a transition road map with different frameworks that he believes will foster a smooth transfer of power. “As I present this roadmap, I want to send my sincere appreciation to everyone I worked with during my tenure in service both in government and cultural leadership,” he wrote. Jacob Ocen, the Spokesperson of Lango Cultural Foundation, attributed Odur’s decision to retire to old age.
In the one-year-long road map, the paramount chief has instructed the electoral body to organize the election of the new paramount chief who will be sworn in and inaugurated in October ahead of the official handover in December. The road map also includes tours in all the districts in Lango which will run for four months commencing in February to June 2024, a visit by the Kabaka of Buganda and Omukama of Bunyoro to the site where Kabaka Mwanga and his Bunyoro counterpart, Kabalega were hidden out by the people of Lango during their resistance of colonial incursions on their respective Kingdoms.
The visits are expected to happen between April and May 2024. Wonyaci also plans to make his last visit in his official position as Won Nyaci me Lango to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe before handing over instruments of power to his successor, among other things.
Muzee Odur’s leadership has been characterized by confusion and cultural turmoil, which led to the formation of a parallel cultural faction; Tekwaro Lango under the leadership of Eng. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, the former Executive Director of Uganda National Road Fund.
Reacting to the news of Odur’s proposed retirement. Moses Okello, a resident of Oyam district argued that the parallel faction should use this opportunity to re-unite Lango. “This is good news for Lango. I think this time round, the people of Lango should unite because some people used to think that this Wonyaci is about Mzee Yosam but now interested persons can follow up so that they get blessings from the Mzee to lead Lango,” he said.
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