By Christopher Nyeko
Gulu: The Acholi Religious Leader Peace’s Initiative (ARLPI), an umbrella body that brings together religious leaders in Acholi, has called for unity and peace among the cultural leaders in Acholi.
The message was made recently by the most reverend of his Grace, Dr. John Baptist Odama, who doubled the chairperson of ARLPI from his residence to God in Bardege-Layibi Gulu city.
In their joint statement, ALRPI noticed that for quite some time, cultural leaders in Acholi have been coughed up in an unprecedented scramble for leadership among themselves that has had adverse effects on the lives of the people they serve.
The ARLPI says this curable leadership has divided the people of Acholi more than before, and this threatens to shutter the little unity left among the Acholi people.
ARLPI observed that handling some of the issues affecting the Acholi community has been a hurdle because common fronts for mutual and peaceful handling of conflict, such as the Apaa issues and the Balaalo question, are hard to mobilize, coordinate, and achieve because of the unending conflict between the Rwodi.
The clergies in their statement called upon the Rwodi to be the key utilizers and promoters of dialogue for all conflict and therefore implore them to heed the reported call for dialogue that has been sounded by the Acholi religious peace initiative and other stakeholders.
They pray that the year 2023 ends with this leadership scramble and the year 2024 begins with dialogue, love, peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity among the Rwodi and the people of Acholi.
On June 20, 2023, a section of Rwodi parted ways with Rwot Onen David Acan II, the Acholi paramount chief, accusing him On many issues, including Acana’s plot to sell the plot of land along Airfield Road in Gulu City, they allege that it belongs to Ker Kwaro Acholi, poor accountability of DGF money, and incompetence by failing to come up with the Acholi constitution.
Since the scramble emerged in 2023, many stakeholders had initiated a dialogue; however, none of the two parties were bold enough to come up for the round table discussion to address their dissatisfaction.
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