ELECTION OF LUGBARA KARI AGOFE STALLED AS VOTING ENDED IN DRAW

By Sunday Amandi

Arua city

The Lugbara cultural institution will have to wait further in order to get a new paramount chief known as the Agofe, as the elections organized Thursday July 13 at social center in Arua city did not yield any positive result.

The position of Agofe in Lugbara Kari, fell vacant, following the death of His Highness Jason Avutia III on January 23, 2023, at his home in Zambia cell, Mvara Ward, Arua city after a long battle with an unknown illness.

The election in which voting was done twice, fast by the select committee, and followed by the one which involved the council of elders from the four different clans failed to select an Agofe, as all ended in stalemate.

After all these, a decision was taken to leave the selection of the paramount chief to the four clan chiefs. Jaffar Alekua, who headed the electoral process, is the clerk to council in Lugbara cultural institution, “We had to start off with the constitution, and that constitution did not tell us what to do in case of a deadlock, we now refer it to the chiefs, “Alekua said.

Moses Mandebo, the information officer of Lugbara cultural institution believes that, despite the failure to elect their leader once, the institution is getting stronger, “The vote was a split vote, no one was declared as the Agofe, but the council of elders have resolved that, within one week, the four chiefs should sit down and select” said Mandebo.

The Lugbara Cultural Institution brings together different clans of the Lugbara in Arua, Terego, and Maracha districts including Arua City.

COVER PHOTO: Lugbara elders voting by show of hands By Sunday Amandi