By Steven Enatu
KABERAMAIDO
General Assembly members for the Kumam Cultural heritage have rejected a proposal to have a life time Cultural leader and instead resolved for a 20 year term limit.
Kumam Cultural heritage cabinet had proposed to amend its constitution to allow the cultural leader Won Ateker to be elected once in a lifetime.
This they suggested would avoid the disagreement and disunity that arises in the process of electing a new cultural leader often citing example of Lang with Won Nya chi.
In their suggestions, the cabinet had proposed that Won Ateker must be elected and reign over his subjects for a life time unless in the face of old age, mental incapacity and illness or death.
” A short time of a cultural leader in office would make it appear like we are having political positions that’s why we suggested to have a life time to avoid divisions that arise from conflicts during elections” said Simon Peter Ebitu, a member of Kumam cultural heritage.
The proposal that received a warm reception amongst the Kumam cultural heritage cabinet in a closed door meeting that happened in Kaberamaido hotel chaired by the Prime Minister, Samuel Eyenga recently faced opposition on Saturday at Dokolo Technical Institute where the General assembly meeting took place.
In the meeting, it’s reported that 265 voted against the proposal and only 68 would vote in favor.
According to Simon Peter Ebitu the institution minister of information, the General assembly abolished the idea of a life time Cultural leader and resolved to have the cultural leader for 20 years.
“There was a very intellectual debate there with the General assembly members. They abolished the proposal of a life time and members agreed at the first proposal that it should be 20 years” Ebitu noted.
Raphael Otaya is the current and first elected Won Ateker papa Kumam whose leadership so far has been cherished by his subjects.
According to the current Kumam Cultural heritage constitution, Won Ateker rules for 10 years then another election is held. With the new changes, His Highness Rafael Otaya will now rule for 20 years.
The General assembly is the final decision making organ in the Kumam cultural institution headed by George William Omuge.
