There is divided opinion in Lango sub region over the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni to attend Lango Conference later this year.
The conference is being organized by the Lango Cultural Foundation under the chairmanship of the paramount chief, Yosam Odur.
This is the first conference to be held in Uganda since 2008 when a similar conference was held in London with the people of Lango living in the diaspora. The conference will be used to discuss pertinent developmental issues that affect Lango, which would later be presented to government.
On Saturday, the Cultural Foundation held a meeting and resolved to invite President Museveni to either open or close the December conference but the decision did not please some members who attended the meeting.
Since this would be the first meeting to be held in Uganda after the overthrow of Dr. Milton Obote’s administration in 1985, critics warned that the move to have the head of state attending the conference would be disastrous as the event could turn political.
Isa Otto Amiza, former Oyam South MP and a member of Atek clan, who also attended the first preparatory meeting held at the cultural centre on Saturday, was the first member to distance himself from the planned move to invite the president.
The ex-legislator argued that since the conference is primarily meant to discuss problems facing Lango, it would be unnecessary to have Museveni in attendance. Otto’s proposal was backed by several clan chiefs who were in attendance.
He said there is nothing to necessitate the coming of the President of Uganda since he is not a Lango by tribe and that it may discourages the sons and daughters of Lango living in the diaspora.
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Tom Arach, the LC3 chairperson for Kamdini Sub County in Oyam district, says the president’s security would interfere with the conference arrangement and would bar many from attending. Arach says the president should instead be invited to attend future conferences but not this particular one.
But the Lango Cultural Foundation Prime Minister, Col Tony Otoa told URN shortly after the meeting that since the conference is about discussing numerous issues regarding development in the area, having the president in attendance is very pertinent.
Col. Otoa argued that you cannot talk about the development without the government, adding that nobody should be scared of the president’s coming.
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Eight committees have been formed to spearhead the preparations for the conference.
