SOROTI, UGANDA: High Court in Soroti has issued interim orders restraining the caretaker Emorimor, Paul Sande Emolot and the Speaker of Iteso Cultural Union-ICU Council, John Francis Okuma from performing any duties related to the institution.
The Soroti High Court Assistant Registrar, Jessica Chemeri issued the orders on Monday after hearing of an application filed by the founding members of ICU early last month. The applicants were William Alloch Akoll, Joseph Okadapao, Martin Alfred Aruo, Stephen Enokokin, Joyce Asekenye, Polly Apio and Lydia Agoda.
The group was contesting the procedures and qualifications of Emolot who was installed as the caretaker Emorimor. They contend that the ICU council was suspended by the late Emorimor, Augustine Osuban Lemukol in June 2021, a position that the petitioners say was never challenged before the death of Emorimor.
The group also argued that the installation of the caretaker Emorimor was against the ICU Constitution of 2019. During the hearing of the application in the presence of Anthony Bernard Ekanyum who represented the applicants, the court stopped Emolot, Okuma and their agents or assignees and servants from holding out as Emorimor Papa Iteso or Speaker of ICU Council respectively.
The court also stopped Emolot and Okuma from holding meetings as the council of ICU, making any correspondences on behalf of ICU or transacting business on behalf of ICU or using the logo, and cultural regalia as Emorimor and Speaker.
“Accessing offices of Emorimor, holding out in functions as Emorimor, holding media talk shows as Emorimor, appointing office-bearers to positions of ICU, expelling members and staff of ICU and or doing any activities in whatever nature or form as Emorimor is stopped till the 6th of April, 2022”, the court order reads.
The ICU Council installed Emolot on March 2, 2022, at their offices in Soroti city. The same council meeting disbanded the ICU Cabinet and appointed new cabinet members. However, the former Emorimor in his June 14, 2021 letter, suspended the council over the alleged irregularities and inconsistencies in the 2019 elections. The same letter dissolved the ICU electoral commission following the recommendations of the Iteso Harmonization Committee headed by Msgr. Robert Ecogu.
Last week, Emolot and his team issued a roadmap for the commencement of the activities to the election and installation of the next Emorimor. The changes were communicated as Emolot and part of his team left for South Africa where he was reportedly attending a conference on African Kings and Queens in the Zulu Kingdom. Emolot and his team have maintained that their actions are legally barked by the Constitution of ICU.
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