LUGBARA DENOUNCES YUMA AS AGOFE, MAINTAINS AYIVU CLAN

Prime Minister Ismael Tuku (center) argues that Ayivu will remain a clan in Lugbara Kari while they are left with withdrawal of the petition against Yuma.

By Dramadri Federick
Arua City

The cabinet of the Lugbara cultural institutions has formally rejected the appointment of Yuma Amuku Manase as the Paramount Chief of Lugbara Kari and has reaffirmed that Ayivu remains a clan within the Lugbara tribe.

During a press briefing at Arua Social Center, the headquarters of Lugbara Kari, the cabinet ministers explained that, following a petition launched by politicians from Ayivu opposing Yuma’s appointment—citing his alleged support for political allies of the Save Ayivu Initiative, which is demanding the creation of Ayivu District, the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development advised them to select a neutral, non-partisan paramount chief.

They also emphasized that Ayivu would remain a subordinate clan within the cultural institution.

Yuma’s appointment on January 26, 2025, by clan chiefs from Terego, Maracha, and Vurra was intended to fulfill the rotational leadership pattern for Lugbara Kari following the death of Jason Avutia III.

On October 16, 2024, Yuma Amuku Manase, the elected Agofe (Paramount Chief) of Lugbara Kari, along with Prime Minister Ismael Tuku and Deputy Prime Minister Willy Ngaka, were summoned by the Minister for Gender, Labor, and Social Development for a meeting at the Ministry headquarters in Kampala in which the minister confirmed that it was disappointing to inform them that politicians from Ayivu expressed their disapproval of Yuma’s appointment as chief of Ayivu, through a Petition prompting the minister to direct that Yuma resolve these issues—including his alleged political affiliation with the Save Ayivu Initiative before he could be officially gazzetted as Agofe of Lugbara Kari.

Otherwise, the cultural institution would be instructed to nominate another candidate.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Yikii, the speaker of Lugbara Kari, confirmed that Yuma’s appointment followed proper procedures in accordance with the constitution. He also lamented that political conflicts had caused significant setbacks for the cultural institution, which has now paused to allow Yuma time to reconcile with the community before a new chief from the Ayivu clan can be appointed.

“Yuma’s problem is that he has a hard heart; he refuses to forgive,” Yikii remarked.

Prime Minister Ismael Tuku explained that efforts to resolve the dispute between Yuma and the petitioners had failed, which has hindered the gazzettement process. “We were on the verge of gazzettement, but after a year of failed reconciliation efforts, the process has stalled, and Lugbara Kari has missed its official recognition,” Tuku stated.

Professor Willy Ngaka, a member of the cultural institution’s constitutional review committee and a cabinet member from the Ayivu clan, urged politicians to cease interfering in cultural affairs.

“The root of the problem lies with individual politicians Mayor Malon Avutia of Ayivu Division and Wadri Sam Nyakua, the Mayor of Arua City—who are all from Ayivu and have petitioned the institution. They seem to believe they can register Ayivu as a cultural institution, but that is not possible,” Ngaka explained.

Due to conflicts within the Ayivu clan, Lugbara Kari has again missed out on the UGX 60 million monthly entitlement from the government, as well as the two official vehicles assigned to the paramount chief and prime minister, along with a leading car and other benefits.

Yuma Amuku Manase, 79 years old, who has been replaced by Alia Angello Pati of the Maracha clan, expressed his disappointment, accusing some politicians within Ayivu of self-interest.

“It’s very disappointing. The actions of these politicians are driven by ill intentions. They started all this during my election as the chief of the Ayivu clan, even before I became the Paramount Chief of Lugbara Kari,” Yuma said.

The appointment of Alia Angello Pati represents a new step forward for Lugbara Kari in its quest for official recognition and gazzettement.