Lira Court Blocks Ogwang Okul from Holding role as Wonayci

By Jasper Akena 

Lira, Uganda: On Monday, October 28th, 2024, the High Court sitting in Lira City issued a temporary injunction restraining Ambassador Dickson Ogwang Okul from taking over office of Won Nyaci.

The court further blocked him from carrying out any activity that portrays him as Won Nyaci elect of the Lango Cultural Foundation.

The ruling delivered by the presiding High Court Judge, Justice Phillips Odoki, via email stemmed from an application filed by Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune, the Won Nyaci elect of Lango, Willy Omodo Omodo, the Speaker of Tekwaro Lango, and George Ojwang Opota one of the clan leaders in Lango. 

“In the end, I find that this application has merit; it is accordingly granted. The respondents and their agents are hereby restrained from participating in any activity leading to the handover of the office of the Paramount Chief of Lango to the 3rd respondent (Ogwang Okul), informing the Minister responsible for culture that the 3rd applicant is the newly elected Paramount Chief for the purpose of causing his name to be published in the gazette, and carrying out any other acts to portray the 3rd respondent as the Paramount Chief of Lango pending the final determination of the civil suit no. 10 of 2014.” Reads part of the ruling.

The costs of this application shall abide by the outcome of civil suit no. 10 of 2024,” reads part of the ruling by Justice Phillip Odoki.

Comments 

Patrick Okwir, the Spokesperson of Lango Cultural Institution, also a lawyer, said; “The Ruling has come at the right time, given the fact that Lango is preparing for the coronation of her legitimate Paramount Chief.

“The Ruling will avert preponderances of confusion, which were propagated by one Dickson Ogwang-Okul who was claiming to have been elected as Paramount Chief. I’m glad he has been restrained from holding out or participating in any activities to have him installed as Paramount Chief until determination of the main case, scheduled for October 31, 2024,” Okwir said.

It should be recalled that the same high court had previously blocked the purported election in which Ogwang Okul was reportedly elected and subsequently declared the winner as the new Won Nyaci of Lango.