A section of cultural chiefs under Apire’s faction has in a strongest term condemned the recent act of hooliganism and violence committed against Rwot Richard Santos Apire and his team of Council of Elders from Okidi Village in Atiak sub-county in Amuru district.
on the 26 October 2023, the team of the Council of elders of Ker Kwaro Atiak were in Okidi to mobilize the community, particularly those whose livelihoods have been negatively impacted by the illegal presence of the Balalo herdsmen in their area to turn up on 3 November 2023 to air their grievances directly to President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni who expected visit Okidi between 3 to 15TH of November.
However, the team were challenged as heinous acts of violence and hooliganism from local people who claimed that Rwot Apire wanted to grab their land.
In a video clip which is making rounds on social media, members who accompanied Rwot Apire were manhandled and they were blocked from having their community Barraza.
In a press statement released today, the cultural chief condemned the act saying they got provoked upon hearing that the royalties were assaulted by their errant subjects at Okidi.
Rwot John Obita Ogenga, the Rwot of Labongo who is the interim vice chairperson rwodi Acholi under Apire faction says “what happened on Rwot Apire and his team was very band we in solidarity with Ker Kwaro Atiak and Rwot who is the Rwot Atiak''. The letter read in part.
The chief described the incident as “taboo, ajccording to them there is no doubt that the youth who were involved in this hooliganism committed an act of taboo in causing grievous bodily harm to Rwot Apire’s Personal Assistant and threatening violence on Rwot personally.
According to their press statement the chief believed that the incident was staged to frustrate Rwot Apire and to cause his mission to Okidi village to abort.
These chiefs have ordered that the perpetrators of the violence against Rwot Apire be summoned before the Council of Elders of Ker Kwaro Atyak under customary law.
Ker Kwaro Atyak has been identified as one of the epicenters of the contentious presence of the Balalo in the Acholi sub-region.
Similarly, on Monday from Amuru district, Odong Stephen Latek, the RDC of Amuru was also banished from the meeting which was convinced by the Kilak south member of parliament honorable Gilbert Olanya.
According to Olanya, the meeting was to sensitize the locals and give them courage and speak frankly before the president who is anticipated to be in Acholi between 3rd to 15th October to address the issue of Balalo herdsmen in Acholi sub region.
Olanya who was filmed says they chased RDC Latek from their meeting because he was prone to misleading the people.
