Deceptive Politicians in Omoro Face Cultural Chiefs Wrath

Cultural chiefs in Omoro District have indicated that they will endorse candidates to contest against deceptive politicians seeking re-election as the country draws closer to the 2021 polls.  

A number of politicians have been paying courtesy visits to clan chiefs of Puranga headed by Rwot Jimmy Ocan Luwala for a blessing. However, Rwot Luwala, also the Chairperson of all clan chiefs in Omoro has warned that incumbent politicians who never delivered on pledges they made during the 2016 campaigns will be outrightly denied further blessings.    

It’s a traditional practice in the Acholi custom that an individual may seek the blessing of clan chiefs and elders before contesting for a public office to have good luck and avert any bad prophecies.   The elders then administer a short traditional ritual by spitting in hands of the intending aspirant, while reciting words of goodwill and luck and swinging the fresh leaves from a branch of a local tree called Olwedo as a sign of cleansing. 

But according to Rwot Luwala, some of the politicians pledged to procure means of mobility like vehicles and motorcycles for the chiefdom and cabinet, and renovate the chiefdom’s citadel. But “they never looked back, after winning the polls,” he said. 

//Cue in; "Many aspirants are…   

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The pronouncement came during a visit by Betty Laika, a London based social worker who intends to contest for the women’s parliamentary seat. Laika who was seeking the elders’ blessing ahead of 2021 elections, acknowledged that often times, candidates make unrealistic and vague promises for the purposes of getting votes; 

//Cue in; "People make promises… 

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Billy Graham Olanya, an aspirant eyeing the Omoro District chairman’s’ seat expressed worry that politics has become heavily commercialized thus restricting potential candidates due to resource constraints.   

In 2016, top politicians in Omoro who sought the Chiefs’ indulgence included Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, District Woman MP Catherine Lamwaka and the district Chairperson Douglas Peter Okello Okao, among others.