Kitgum police foil planned election of rival Acholi Paramount Chief

__________________

Police in Kitgum Municipality today foiled the planned election of leaders for a group of rival chiefs opposed to the Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II.

Mid this week, the group, after notifying the rival chiefs’ camp, got clearance for the event that was scheduled to take place in Acaki Lodge, a few kilometers from Kitgum Town, but a day to the D-day, the Aswa East Region Police Commander Anatoli Katungwensi declared its cancelation.

Determined to formalise their group, rival chiefs earlier today shifted to Bomah Hotel at Kitgum Municipality.

Before the program could kick off, the police personnel went to the venue ordered the organisers to call off the assembly.  The DPC's heavily armed policemen asked Atiak Chief, Rwot Santo Richard Apire who is the interim chair of the rival chiefs and some of his aides to go for a meeting at the regional police headquarters before conducting any activity.

From there, the chiefs and the police, along with other personnel, locked themselves in a meeting that lasted for some hours.

Later, Katungwensi announced that the planned meeting could not proceed because police did not get a communication from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development clearing the election.

The spokesperson for the rival faction, Robert Adongakulu, confirmed this development but could not divulge details.

Conflict in Ker Kwaro Acholi started in June last year, when a faction of chiefs led by Atiak Chief, Santo Richard Apire broke off from the Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II, accusing him of a number of wrongdoings including failing to account for donations and other support to the cultural institution.