The Iteso community in East Africa has a new Emorimor, or king.
Sande Emolot was crowned on Saturday at a colourful ceremony held at Soroti sports grounds in Eastern Uganda. The Iteso regard Soroti as their headquarters.
Emolot took over the reins of leadership of the Iteso kingdom following the death of his predecessor Augustine Lemukol Papa Osuban on February 5.
The ceremony attended by members of the Iteso community from across East Africa was characterised by messages of unity.
Other leaders at the event called for fast-tracking of the East African Community federation, which they said would help bring together East Africans.
The Kenyan delegation to the event was led by Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, his deputy Arthur Odera, Senator Okiyah Omtatah and Teso North MP Oku Kaunya.
Chief executive committee nominee members in Otuoma’s cabinet Paul Olunga Ekweny (Sports and Culture) and Olakachuna Omuse (Trade and Investment) were also present.
Otuoma said as leader of a border county, he was keen on ensuring East Africans unite to champion for the prosperity of the region.
“To the new Emorimor, we will be looking for your wisdom and advise as you continue bringing us together just like the President of Uganda during campaigns. He (the President) came and listened to us and during the inauguration of President William Ruto, he reminded us that during campaigns he never heard us talk about East Africa,” Otuoma said.
“But I want to promise that as residents who are on the boundary, we believe in East Africa. We strongly believe that with the guidance of President Yoweri Museveni the East African federation dream will become a reality.”
Odera said the new king has an uphill task of ensuring members of the Iteso community are guided to economic prosperity.
He said as king, Emolot has the duty of bringing together members of the community to venture into joint investments to generate wealth.
“The Iteso Cultural Union should be able to deliver food to the tables, money to the pockets and prosperity for future generations,” Odera said.
Omtatah echoed Odera’s sentiments, calling on the new Emorimor to use his reign to tap into the resources that Teso boasts of to create wealth.
“As a community we face a lot of challenges but we control a lot of resources. I see vast resources in Teso. The Iteso Cultural Union should become the vehicle to make us rich through education, trade, science and innovation as well as research and development and we shall become rich,” he said.
“We have resources but what we lack is the mechanism to convert our resources into wealth so that we can become the richest people in this region, and that is what we are supposed to be.”
Kaunya said ODM leader Raila Odinga’s dream of building a palace and cultural centre for the king is still on despite his defeat during the August 9 general elections.
“Our leader promised to construct a palace and cultural centre here in Soroti. I wanted to say that is a very important aspect that we are all happy with and the people from Kenya appreciate that. I want to say we will welcome you when the time comes to that end.”
The first of such palace was constructed in 2001 for the Queen Mother of Tooro Kingdom Best Kemigisha by then Libyan President Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
The palace is occupied by the King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The structure was built in 1963, but was ruined after the abolition of kingdoms by President Idi Amin Dada.
Edited by Henry Makori