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The Kumam-speaking community in eastern Uganda has launched a campaign to purchase a vehicle for their king Raphael Otaya.

Otaya was installed a year ago after the community breaking away from Teso.

The initiative has been championed by the elites who have opened a WhatsApp group they intend to raise shilling 68 million for purchasing a Toyota Harrier.

The cultural cabinet okayed the initiative and they intend to roll it out to all the Kumam-speaking community so that every individual can contribute.

Otaya, the first Kumam cultural head, was elected in 2022 and he was gazetted in August last year under the title Won Ateker.

Though it’s the norm of the Government to donate vehicles to the cultural leaders, Otaya didn’t get it. However, President Yoweri Museveni in December last year promised to buy the vehicle. The promise was made during his visit to the home of Gen. Peter Elwelu.

“Whereas the Government is going to buy the chief a vehicle, his subjects have come up with an initiative to gift him a Harrier that is going to cost us shillings 68 million,” remarked the cultural prime minister, Samuel Eyenga.

At the end of this month, Eyenga explained that the general assembly of clan heads will convene for the cabinet to inform them of the initiative since the idea was fronted by the elites who have so far raised shillings 15 million in pledges and cash.

“The people are doing this out of love for their chief because he deserves more than one vehicle to ease his movements,” Eyenga said.

Initially, the Kumam were part of the Iteso but they chose to breakaway on grounds that the two tribes speak different languages.

Eyenga boasts of having 225 clans and being the majority both in Soroti district and Soroti city that Iteso claim to be their headquarters.

He noted that the Kumam are found in the Kyoga belt stretching to Amolatar district, especially Kyoga County being represented in Parliament by James Olobo a Kumam.

“The British placed us in the Lango region and after Independence, we were brought to Teso region. However, we are a tribe of its own and we are happy having our own leader,” Eyenga said.

He estimates their population is at one million people but hopeful that the exact figures shall be known after the national census. The MOMO account for which the money is being received is 595959 or to mobile 0786391473 under the names Simon Peter Ebitu.

Who is Otaya?

Raphael Otaya the cultural head of the Kumam speaking community in a recent cultural function in Soroti city. (Godfrey Ojore)

He is a retired teacher and holder of a diploma in teacher education from Kyambogo University. He was born in 1957 in the present day Merok parish in Katine sub-county, Soroti district.