Lango cultural factions reject Minister Betty Amongi’s proposal for dialogue

7 February 2023, 10:07 am

By Denis Okello(denis.okello@vol.co.ug)

The two Lango cultural factions of Lango Cultural Foundation and Tekwaro Lango have rejected a proposal by minister of gender, labor and social development, Betty Amongi to have a dialogue with them seeking to have only one paramount chief in Lango.

Minister Betty Amongi over the weekend said that government was considering dialogue with the two cultural leadership factions in Lango with an aim of Lango having only one paramount chief to lead the people of Lango.

Amongi Betty made the revelation on Saturday at the installation of Dr. Bosco Oruru as the clan head of Okii Awonodyang at Odoro primary school in Aromo Sub County, Lira district.

However, Minister of information under Lango cultural Foundation Jacob Ocen said the dialogue will not have any positive impact since leaders of both factions are not ready to relinquish power to the other.

Ocen called for implementation of a resolution made at a meeting of Lango stakeholders held at Lira University in October 2021 that sought to have Tekwaro Lango leader Eng. Dr. Michael Odongo Okune arrested for continuously posing as paramount chief.

He adds that it will be hard to resolve the cultural leadership struggle in Lango because it is not only existing between the paramount chief aligned to Lango Cultural Foundation, Yosam Odur and Tekwaro Lango leader, Odongo Okune but also involves people affiliated to them.

On the other hand, Prime minister of Tekwaro Lango George Ojwang Opota said minister Amongi should root for peaceful transition of power as opposed to dialogue between the two cultural leaders.

Ojwang accused minister Amongi of launching verbal attacks against tekwaro Lango leader, Eng. Dr. Odongo Okune for long and is not the right person to advocate for dialogue with the latter.

There are some clans in Lango that are already having two clan leaders aligned to the two cultural factions due to the brewing leadership squabbles and they include; Mwa Otiratok where minister Betty Amongi hails from whose clan leader was the late Okello Mwaka affiliated to Yosam Odur and Bitorino Kolo allied to Odongo Okune, Ober Okwero coboro also has Omara Jolly Joe aligned to Yosam Odur Ebii and Odyek Sam who is associated with Odongo Okune as their clan heads.

Others are; Ocukuru Ogora which has Charles Abaca on Yosam Odur Ebii’s side and Jerom Angena who belongs to Odongo Okune’s faction as clan leaders, Malakwanga clan has Rashid Opio aligned to Yosam Odur Ebii and Ojok Bileo allied to Odongo Okune as clan heads, while Araki-Kwarnguny has two clan leaders who include; Tom Anang Odur under Yosam Odur Ebii’s faction, and Martin Ogwang who is one of the ministers of Odongo Okune’s Tekwaro Lango faction.