The ruling delivered by Justice Phillip Odoki via email restrains Denis Obia Acila, Benjamin Okii, Dr. Dan Okello, Dr. Richard Nam, Dan Opito Odwee and Jaramogi Dennis Okwir, who are members of the electoral commission of Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) from participating in any activity leading to hand over of office of the Paramount Chief of Lango to Ogwang.
The High Court in Lira has issued an injunction stopping Amb.
Dickson Ogwang Okul from taking over the office of paramount
chief from Mzee Yosam Odur Ebii.
The ruling delivered by Justice Phillip Odoki via email
restrains Denis Obia Acila, Benjamin Okii, Dr. Dan Okello, Dr. Richard Nam, Dan
Opito Odwee and Jaramogi Dennis Okwir, who are members of the electoral commission
of Lango Cultural Foundation (LCF) from participating in any activity leading
to hand over of office of the Paramount Chief of Lango to Ogwang.
“I find that this application has merit. It is accordingly
granted. The Respondents and their agents are hereby restrained from informing
the Minister responsible for culture that the 3rd Applicant (Dickson Ogwang
Okul) is the newly elected Paramount Chief to cause his name to be published in the gazette, carry out any other acts to portray the 3rd
Respondent as the newly elected Paramount Chief of Lango and from conducting or
participating in any further acts or activities to install
or portray the 3rd Respondent as the Paramount Chief of Lango.”
The ruling follows an application filed by Eng.
Moses Michael Odongo Okune, the Won-nyaci elect under Lango Cultural
Institution (LCI), speaker Willy Omodo- Omodo and George Ojwang, the Prime Minister
of LCI against Denis Obia Acila, Benjamin Okii, Dr Dan Okello, Dr. Richard
Nam, Dan Opito Odwee, Jaramogi Dennis Okwir and Amb. Dickson Ogwang Okul, the
Won- nyaci elect.
In the application, they asked for a permanent injunction to restrain the respondents from participating in or carrying out
the elections of the Lango paramount chief, swearing in, installing and coronating any
person as paramount chief or carrying out any other related activities organized
by Lango Cultural Foundation or its Electoral Commission.
Earlier this year, Acila and Okii, who are clan heads of
their respective clans, instituted a civil suit against Odongo
Okune, Omodo and Ojwang, challenging the election of Okune as the Won-Nyaci. They
contend that the election was marred with illegalities and in their view, the
election is null and void.
However, Okune and his team filed their written statement of
defence denying the claims and instead filed a counterclaim against Acila, Okii
and five others wherein they alleged that Okune was elected the Paramount
Chief of Lango. They further allege that it is Acila and his team who are
participating in a fresh election of Won-Nyaci me Lango without following the
procedure.
In the counterclaim, they sought, a permanent injunction to
restrain the respondents from organizing parallel elections of the paramount chief and any other remedies the court deems fit.
On October 12th, the Lango Cultural Foundation Electoral Commission went ahead to conduct an election in
which Ogwang Okul, the clan chief of the Palaocol clan was declared winner having
garnered 76,307 votes against his closet opponent Dr. Richard Nam from the
Okii-amat clan who got 31,920 votes.
Odongo Okune’s coronation is scheduled to take place on 2nd
November 2024 at the Mayor’s garden in Lira City.
