By Steven Enatu
KABERAMAIDO
The installation of Raphael Otaya, the first Kumam Cultural leader under the Kumam Cultural Heritage has been postponed until further notice.
Otaya who was elected in July last year as the first Won Ateker Papa Kumam was due for Coronation on November 30, 2022, but the function was postponed over delay in the submissions of sub county resolutions in Amolatar and Dokolo districts which make part of the Kumam Cultural Heritage.
A date of 23rd of Feb 2023 was set as a new date for this event.
Under Section 4, 1b of the Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act, 2011, a traditional or cultural leader may be instituted in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people to whom it applies, through a resolution of not less than two thirds of all members of the district local councils and sub county local government councils respectively in the area.
However, George William Omuge, the Chairperson of the Kumam General Assembly, the body that steered the election process and now installation of Won Ateker Papa Kumam said they have submitted the papers to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and cannot go on with the event before the name of the cultural leader is recognized and gazetted in the Uganda gazette.
The gazzete is an important government official ‘publication that contains Notices, Government declarations and supplements, Bills, Statutes, Statutory Instruments and Legal Notices.
Omuge said unless that is done, they will not be able to communicate a new date for the coronation and installation of Won Atekerin
“I cannot issue a new date now, we want to wait until the name is published in the gazzete that’s when we can confirm that but I want to tell all our people that everything is moving on smoothly and we shall reach there” he said.
The Kumam Constitution includes Soroti, Kalaki, Kaberamaido, Dokolo and Amolatar as the districts where the Kumam are residents. Amolatar and Dokolo districts are located within the Lango sub region, bordering Teso sub region and neighbours to Kaberamaido, Kalaki and Soroti in Teso sub region.
Mzee Raphael Otaya emerged a winner and was named Won Ateker Papa Kumam after garnering 250 votes from the delegates’ conference conducted in Kaberamaido Town Council. He beat four other contenders, William Egweu, Robert Ewangu Robert and George Michael Egunyu.
The Kumam have been under the Iteso Cultural Union- ICU.
