UGANDA:  PURANGA LEADERS UNANIMOUS REJECT AGULA LAND GRABBING-ASKS PRESIDENT MUSEVENI TO BUILD STATE LODGE IN AWERE

Tension, chaos depicted de-sounded Acholi Inn hotel in Gulu as Agula clan leader Okello Micheal Otit pronounced that our Correspondent (Okumu Livingstone Langol) was a lead investigative journalist exposed Agula Te-Aceng forcefully land sales during his presentation at Acholi Inn        before the meeting called by Geen. Otema Awany to calm down the political atmosphere engulfing Omoro District following the aftermath of National Resistance   Movement (NRM). Primary election, the blooding campaign between Chaterine Lamwaka, his wife, and Betty Layika.

As the Agula clan chairman we did not sit and agreed to sell communal customary land to the state house agent, the person who bought Agula customary land, they have bought air.

“I need World body of International Journalists protecting Journalists working hostile area like Northern Uganda following the accusation by Agula Clan Leader, the goon may descend on me     

GULU CITY-UGANDA, SUNDAY AUGUST 10,2025.

Okello Micheal Otit, the leader of the Agula clan, at 2:30 PM local African time stood up and cleared his voice “Hoo hoo” and introduced himself. I am from Binya parish, in Omoro district unknown people promised to kidnap and disappear with me if they attempted to stop their sale of land.

“In July 17, 2025. I was told by some people that there are some groups of people who are forcefully buying land. My former clan leader of Agula, Kibwota Ayaa that there are some people who are buying land forcefully at Aceng village, Aceng village is 80 kilometers North-East of Gulu City Mr. Kibwota told me that he has sold his land, and even his neighbor called Kidega and others have sold them.

When he tried to resist and argued with them, they even kicked his buttock. Warning him should you try to go and confront those land grabbers; they will kidnap you and disappear with you.” Okello Otit made a revelation.

He furthermore narrated, Kibwota masterminded the deal and told them that he is the Agula clan chairman and those people who sold their land to one Okello Anthony, and those people supported him saying Mr. Kibwota was the rightful Agula Chairman and who is believed to be brother of the late Aber, Gen. Salim Saleh concubine. However, when Maci Micheal the Chairman of Orapwoyo Sub County area land Committee called for the meeting at Aceng village, when Maci asked them is Okello Otit the clan Chairman of Agula, those who sold the land say no three times until when Maci says Okello Otit is the Chairman of Agula.

“’Maci confirmed before them and the land grabber Okello Anthony aka Adwinya, says Okello Otit is the Agula clan head, because Maci is the clan leader of Ot-Ngec. And the land buyers were annoyed and decried they had wasted their UGX 600 million wrongfully.” Okello Otit disclosed before hundreds of Puranga clan heads.

Gen. Charles   Otema Awany apologies for the makeshift that occurred during NRM grassroot primary election in Omoro district and elsewhere in Northern Uganda. Acholi Sub Region needs maximum cooperation, peace and unity for the development to take place.

“Amito Waco wu luttua dongo lobo bedo peke ka ce ribe peke. Literally there is no development where there is no unity in the area.”

After the northern Uganda post war, without mentioning LRA war, his main agenda was to send his wife Caterine Lamwaka, the Omoro Woman MP with the hope that she was going to develop the Omoro district. But it seems that I have turned my back on the people of Puranga chiefdom, I can now come back to lobby for development.

Gen. Otema Awany appointed four Council of Puranga clan leaders to coordinate with his office that includes Christopher Okema Amic to represent the former Awere Sub County in Pader District, Micheal Anywar Odai former Manager of Madhvani Sugar Works limited now coffee grower in Odek to stand for Omoro County. And one person for Toci County including Vicky Norah Odong.

Okema Christopher Amic, who earlier spoke on the three pillars that embedded Puranga chiefdom and the entire Acholi Sub Region. Says who people fight for the political position because of poverty. Our people are living in abject poverty that they cannot send their children to school. We need to empower our people; without money there is nothing we can do.

“When you see people, especially mothers lining up to beg for salt and soaps from politicians because they don’t have anything to buy soaps and salt. “

says we should lobby for the Soyabean Oil factory and gives tractors ox plough and Bulls for our people to open big farms, this day people cannot till the land.

“Omoro Pader districts have no industries and big commercial hubs to generate tax, what the newly created districts in Acholi Sub Region do without a market as farmers sell their crops from the garden and give away prices.

Secondly, let every household be able to sell commodities that can generate even UGX 1,000 in a day, things like Pineapple, Pawpaw, oranges’ Avocado, parecon fruit and other during their season. If Acholi is to get out of poverty.

Thirdly, let every household send their children to school, we need to get out of illiteracy, give an education bursary scheme for the Puranga chiefdom, right from primary school, postsecondary and the bursary education scholarship in all fields.

Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, the MP for Omoro County in 11^th Parliament who also graced the Puranga chiefdom gathering in Gulu City, applauded Gen. Otema for the unity after the bloody Omoro NRM primary election. First, he extended the Olive branch to Ben Acellam who has been accusing him of rigging the Omoro Member of Parliament.

“I would like to applaud you Geen. Otema Awany for calling for this meeting, and I believe this is the process of healing the wound, I have asked the District Land Board of Omoro District to give for us the land title, we are in the process of putting up Soybean industry in Omoro District, I hope the process will not take long.”  Hon Ojok Oulanyah stressed.

Hon. Ojok Oulanyah decried for poor Awere-Moroto road construction delay that will take place in 2029, saying the road construction has been put into Uganda Notational Plan, the feasibility plan for stage I and II has been finished with cost of UGX 900 billion. However, as we are pushing for President State lodge, there shall be other development like good hotel and some amenity

Ben Okwamoi, the former Museveni tour guide in the 1973 who brought Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Eriya Katigaya to his Uncle Okuya Lino to Ajan village, Awere Sub County then Kitgum District where they set out rebellion camp, says the family of the late Okuya Lino has offered 70 acres of land for the state lodge.

Gen. Otema Awany confirmed that the state lodge would be built in time during President Museveni last term of office, I need relevant documents so that I can follow the promises made by President Museveni when visited Awere in 2011.

Jalon King Laloyo augured that the only way of solving problem in Puranga we need education scholarship board that would offer learning to every household that would be in support even of get rid of land commercialization as is taking center stage. more importantly at this material time.

John Jalon King says the issues of Presidential state lodge in Awere is overdue, there would have been state lodge long time ago as the state lodge go together with tarmac road.

“I would be talking on land grabbing, our position as Puranga chiefdom we condemned Aceng land grabbing, we are standing together with Gen. Otema, I have to Thanks you general.” Gulu University Administration who is also cabinet to puragna chiefdom concluded

At the end, Gen. declared that those who bought customary land of Agula Community in Binya Sub County would lose their money. He directed Omoro District Residence Commissioner to make sure the land title; the process should be blocked.