TORORO – President Yoweri Museveni has lauded the Ateker cultural leader Emorimor Augustine Osuban for being loyal to government despite difficult situations that its subjects encounter.
He said the Emorimor is the only cultural leader that has remained objective to guiding his people on cultural values and encouraging them never to conflict with the law a practice he says demonstrates high level of civilization that he suggests other cultural leaders should go for benchmarking.
In his message delivered by the minister of State for Relief and
Disaster Preparedness Mr. Musa Ecweru to the mourners during the burial of Rael Atenge, the wife to the prime minister of Iteso cultural institution Mr. Paul Sande Emolot at Koitangiro village Mella sub-county Tororo District, on Wednesday, April 24, the President Museveni said unlike other cultural leaders who have been derailed by politics and conflicting with government, there is no day that his government has recorded role conflict with Emorimor.
“I want to thank you for being a sober leader and as government we shall work towards seeing that your kingdom is supported to grow and as a leader I will get dates where I will meet all your counterparts and I request when we call upon you to lecture them don not let us done,’’ he said.
The President paid tribute to the grieved family for the loss of their relative that died at a very tender age when she was still needed.
However, Mr. Ecweru said Ateker has formidable force that can only be ignored by anyone who is not normal and those who have doubts can visit history books adding that their being obedient does not in any way suggest they are weak.
The minister was responding to earlier reports from social media that there were threats from the Jopadhola community to block the Iteso cultural leader Emorimor from attending the burial of the prime minister’s wife.
“The Ateker group is so respective and obedient but if you annoy them, then they can bite to kill therefore attempting to block a cultural leader from coming to attend a burial of his subject is total abuse of his constitutional right to movement,’’ Mr. Ecweru stressed.
Earlier the district acting LC5 chairperson Ms. Stella Imukutet in her condolence message cited intimidation of Iteso speaking people in Tororo by the security agencies where she appealed to the central government to pronounce its position on the outstanding tribal conflict in Tororo District that she said had paralyzed service delivery.
“Dear Papa Emorimor, we are here but living in pain where security has taken a stand to block district councilors from the entire Tororo county from attending and participating in the district council and we do not know what is being discussed during the council proceedings,’’ Ms. Imukutet said, continuing: “We appeal to you to use your docket to notify the Office
of the President of the intimidation we are undergoing as our brothers from West Budama seem to be favoured.’’
Meanwhile, Members of Parliament from the Iteso speaking areas from both Uganda and Kenya requested the President to pronounce his position on the matter of Tororo to avail peace as he has done in other areas that had similar issues.
The burial was also attended by Minister of State for Health Ms. Sarah Opendi, the minister in charge of Teso Affairs Ms. Agnes Akiror Egonyu, the minister of State for East African Affairs
Mr. Julius Maganda Wandera, the Busia Kenya County Governor Mr. Ojamong among other MPs from Kenya and Uganda.
