Lango paramount chief taken ill, airlifted to Mulago

The Lango paramount chief the Won Nyaci Yosam Odur Ebii is said to be seriously ill.

Ebii was airlifted in a military chopper to Mulago National Referral Hospital from Lira University Teaching Hospital, for further treatment.

The prime minister of Lango, Eng. James Robert Ajal speaking on a local radio station in Lira confirmed the development, saying Ebii has been suffering from persistent hiccups for a number of days.

Speaking to New Vision, Ebii's son Anthony Olobo said his father is feeling better now. He said the Won Nyaci has been suffering from hiccups that reoccur.

"The old man is not in a serious condition, he is in Mulago. He had some hiccups which have been disturbing him and being of old age, this weakened him. But it is not serious now otherwise you would hear from my tone," Olobo said.

Augustine Oyang Atubo, the Lira University secretary said he received information that Ebii was taken in at the hospital on Saturday night, and on Sunday afternoon he was airlifted to Kampala.

"I think his condition is not serious otherwise he would not have been airlifted," Oyang said.

Oyang said the case was being handled by Dr Tom Otim who is in a better position to comment on the chief's state.

When contacted, Dr Otim, the university hospital director said he is not in a position to talk about the condition of the paramount chief and deferred to the university vice-chancellor Prof Jasper Ogwal Okeng.

University Dean of Students Emma Okite said Okeng is on bed rest after undergoing an operation at the university hospital last week and he is unable to comment on the issue.

"If anything, we are not supposed to speak about somebody's sickness," Okite said.

The news comes barely a week after reports that Ebii had dissolved his cabinet and was set to put in place a new government.