Police block Japadhola fundraising event

PIC: Police deployed at the palace site in Nyangole village to block the fundraising event organised by the Japadhola community. (Credit: Faustine Odeke)

CULTURAL TENSION

TORORO - The Police and other security agencies on Friday blocked a fundraising drive by the Japadhola community in the contested Tororo municipality.

The event was aimed at raising funds to complete the Nyangole palace in Amagoro village, where the Tieng Adhola cultural leader, Moses Owori, resides.

The move to deploy at the palace followed directive by President Yoweri Museveni to the Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola, to block the function, following refusal by the cultural institution to relocate the event outside Tororo municipality.

The Police took charge of the Palace site and deployed in every corner of the town, neutralising the brewing tension between the Iteso and Japadhola communities, thus keeping business in town as usual.

However, this did not go well with Tororo Municipality MP Yeri Apollo Ofwono, who pitched camp at the Bukedi regional Police headquarters, pleading with the Police to allow the function go on.

On the other hand, the chairperson of the NRM electoral commission, Dr Tanga Odoi, moved with street children in his official double cabin truck, making noise in the streets of Tororo town.

Earlier, the district security committee had written to Tieng Adhola prime minister Josel Obbo, advising them to relocate their function outside the municipality since the Iteso had written to the committee outlining their intention to disrupt the function.

"Following your letter dated March 20…,I would wish to bring to your attention the following surrounding the function; that the Iteso cultural union has written to the resident district commissioner, complaining about the function since you were the ones who complained against their function late last year in December citing Tororo municipality under contention," the letter read.

However Obbo defied the security committee advice, saying they did not have the mandatory authority to stop their function since they have been cleared by the police headquarters to go ahead with the function.

In his letter dated March 23 addressed to the RDC, Obbo asked the security committee to commit the Government in writing to contribute sh800m anticipated during the fundraising so that the institution can call off the fundraising.

He said it will difficult for the institution to call of the fundraising without such commitment.

Tororo municipality has remained a source of conflict between the Iteso cultural union and Tieng Adhola, with both parties claiming ownership.

The matter is before President Museveni following a series of futile meetings with the leaders of both institutions.

During a meeting at State House Entebbe in July last year, lands ministry officials said Tororo municipality is located in Tororo County, which is under Iteso cultural union and not West Budama as claimed.

Since then, both parties were asked not hold any function in the municipality until the President resolves on the matter.

The president also halted the byeelection of the district chairperson after the death of the then district chairperson, Apollo Jaramogi, in January 2017.

In December last year the Police blocked the Iteso Cultural Heritage Day at the middle of the function and their paramount chief, Augustine Lemukol Osuban, was intercepted in Lwaboba trading centre in Mbale district and driven back to Serere district under tight security.