Jonam's quest for kingdom intensifies as new chief is installed
Currently, Jonam is a chiefdom under the Alur kingdom but for long, they have denied being part of the Alur stemming from the history of Gipir and Labongo.
Chief Rwoth Jawikom Fred Kuba Opar IV, Jonam chiefdom leader with his subjects.
NewVision Reporter
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The Jonam cultural institution has intensified its bid for a kingdom.
Currently, Jonam is a chiefdom under the Alur kingdom but for long, they have denied being part of the Alur stemming from the history of Gipir and Labongo.
The Jonam claim they are neither descendants of Gipir nor Labongo but their brother Gifur.
This was revealed during the installation ceremony of Chief Rwoth Jawikom Fred Kuba Opar IV on Wednesday at St Mary's Omach primary School playgrounds.
According to Jonam prime minister Ryan Muswa Wathum, they are legally recognised by the Uganda Constitution.
"According to Article 246 of the Constitution, we are number 43 among the tribes of Uganda," he said.
Wathum added that the council of chiefs will sit every three years to carry out an election of the head of chiefs which will be rotational to foster culture and identity.
"We are not in any way undermining cultural institutions around us but what we are saying is that there shouldn't be an assumption that the Jonam people are under any kingdom," he said.
According to Elifaz Obedyo, a youth from the cultural institution, the installation of the head of chiefs will help to organise the chiefdom to seek services from the Government, especially concerning the Palango land issues.
Newly installed head of chiefs Fred Opar Kuba IV pledged to work in consultation with other chiefs to foster development: "We will ensure that we foster unity and through that, we will wipe out poverty through better agronomic practices, fishing among others".
Alur Kingdom speaks out
The deputy prime minister and the spokesperson of Alur Kingdom, Vincent Ocaya, said the Alur Kingdom is the only recognised cultural institution in Uganda in the West Nile region.
"As a kingdom, so long as the Jonams conduct themselves constitutionally, then we can accept them as part of the gazetted cultural institutions in Uganda," he said.
However, he cited the selfish interests of a few individuals in Jonam who are orchestrating the move.
"Some individuals are driven by selfish interests which include the greed for money and power," Ocaya said.
He claimed the people of Jonam are just like people from Padyere in Nebbi and Okoro in Zombo and the Alur from DRC and that they make up the current Alur Kingdom.