Emorimor wants fresh Iteso census

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KATAKWI - Iteso Paramount Chief (Emorimor) Paul Sande Emolot has disputed the recently released Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) census results that put the ethnic group's population as fourth in Uganda.

Statistics for the 2024 census indicated that Baganda remained the dominant ethnic group with seven million people, an increase from 5.5m in 2014.

They are followed by Banyankole (4.2 million), Basoga (3.7 million), Iteso (3.1million), Bakiga (2.9 million) and Langi (2.7 million), among others.

Emolot argues that Iteso women are the most productive in the country and their population is beyond what was released recently.

He maintains that Iteso are the second largest ethnic group in Uganda.

Emorimor directed the clan leaders to conduct a fresh national housing and population census in the country so that they submit to UBOS the population they think is right.

“I'm requesting all the clan heads of Iteso in the country that our office will support them to count every member in their clan so that we get the real number of our ethnic group which we shall submit to UBOS,” he said.

This was during his second-anniversary celebrations that attracted over 20 kings and queens from 15 countries in Africa and Caribbean at Katakwi District Boma Grounds on Tuesday (October 22, 2024).

The celebrations attracted kings and queens from US, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Busoga, Karamoja, Acholi, Lango, Bugisu and Baruli, among others.

Some of the Kings and Queens from Africa and the Carribean during Emorimor's second anniversary in Katakwi district on Tuesday. (Credit: Emmanuel Alomu)s

Prioritising education

Emolot urged the Iteso to prioritise education when he disclosed that Iteso Cultural Union (ICU) has partnered with Kumi School of Allied Health to give a bursary of shillings 500, 000 annually to any students who want to do nursing, midwifery, pharmacy and laboratory courses.

“For the clan leaders to monitor the children in the primary and secondary schools, I will next year task every Etesot to contribute shs1,000 for the Emorimor Education Fund so that we promote education and reduce dropout rates,” he said.

As a way of achieving social-economic transformation in the country as said by President Museveni, Emolot encouraged the Iteso to promote their culture, especially their language and fight poverty through the four-acre model of producing food for sale and eating.

The land question

Emorimor warned the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are promoting the surveying of the customary land tenure system into freehold saying, this will give the Iteso a chance to lose the right to their land.

“I also want to caution Iteso against land disputes, because it bogs down development,” he said.

On health, Emorimor attributed the increasing cases of cervical cancer to early sex.

“Avoid eating a lot of cooking oil if you want to have a healthy family free of cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes,” he said.

Emorimor disclosed that the Government is in the final stages of launching the construction of Iteso Cultural Palace.

He commended the vice-president for financially supporting his second-anniversary celebrations.

Due to the inter-community conflicts between Iteso and their neighbours the Karamojong, Richard Oseku, the Kibale County Member of Parliament who represented the gender minister as a chief guest, urged the Iteso who were displaced for over 40 years to unite so that they catch up with the rest of the country.

The kings and queens congratulated Emorimor for his second anniversary and pledged to work together with him for the development of Teso and Uganda as a whole.

Ateker International Development Organization (AIDO)

President, His Royal Highness, Papa Paul Eganda who oversees 648 kingdoms worldwide said the kings and queens are in the sub-region to ensure that Teso grows in terms of factories, youth employment and palace construction. 

“Our model of development is through traditional leaders,” Eganda assured the visitors in the diaspora.

He said the kings and queens will remain in Teso for the next few days to commission some of the projects they have been supporting. 

Local dances, including the Ajosi, Ekiriakiria, Etida, Adigidigi and cultural foods as well as drinks were showcased during the function.

Front unity

Geoffrey Omolo, the Katakwi District LC5 Chairperson asked Emorimor to front Unity among Iteso saying, the tribe is disunited politically.

He called on the paramount chief to lobby for scholarships from the Government for the vulnerable Iteso students and warned people against land grabbing.

Omolo was concerned that a number of households have been greatly affected by water logging and floods which have displaced and that they are in need of urgent assistance.

Gusberito Eciis, an elder in Katakwi district, was grateful to the union for choosing their district to host the event.

More than 5,000 Iteso from Uganda and Kenya including the Karamojong and other tribes attended the colorful event.

Emolot installation on October 22nd, 2022, followed the demise of Emorimor Augustine Osuban Lemukol on February 5, 2022, who succumbed to Covid-19. Osuban was installed in 2000 and was the first recognised Paramount Chief for Teso.

However, before Osuban, the Ateker clans had elected Imodot as Emorimor but didn’t live to stay long in the seat as members changed to Osuban.