By Temiteo Okwakol
Amudat – In a historic ceremony, George Owanyi, the beloved “Serere boy” and RDC of Amudat, alongside the district leadership, received an unprecedented blessing from over 400 Pokot elders, cementing their positions as the transformative leaders of Amudat. This remarkable event took place during the launch of the 11-kilometer Cheptapoyo – Katabok road, one of the roads funded by the government in the 1 billion road fund. As residents gathered and cheered the launch officiated by RDC George Owanyi, LCV Chairperson Joseph Lobbot, CAO Emmy Oyuku-Ocen, and area MPs Hon Lolem Micah Akasile and Hon. Betty Chelain, the Woman MP, they expressed their appreciation to the NRM Government for the road project, which they had long believed to be a myth, doubting any government service would reach their remote area. However, the launch took a surprising turn as the elders mobilized a bull, burning it as an offering to the gods in a traditional ceremony to bless Owanyi, Hon Lolem Micah Akasile, Hon. Chelain, and Oyuku-Ocen, along with the Chief, for their lobbying and delivery of the project.
During the traditional ceremony, Hon Lolem Micah Akasile was made to carry a piece of the bull as the elders invoked the gods of the Pokot to grant Hon Lolem Micah Akasile and Hon. Betty Chelain another term in Parliament, Owanyi, their beloved RDC, to serve the Pokot until Jesus Christ returns, and Ocen-Oyuku to be promoted to Senior CAO. Hon. Betty Chelain, while speaking to the press after the ritual, urged the President and NRM government to fulfill its pledges, as raised by the Pokot elders, and address them as soon as possible. On how she has managed to gain the support of the people, she said, “I am a down-to-earth person, and my actions speak for themselves. Not forgetting, I am Pokot and Kalenjin; I am not Karamojong, so the value that is attached to our people by the government is less. We as leaders have to also fight for them so that we also get a share of what is appropriated to the rest.”
But how and why have George Owanyi, Hon Lolem Micah Akasile, Hon. Betty Chelain, and Joseph Lobbot managed to win the hearts of the Pokot people? The answer dates back to the 2023 Sebei/Pokot inter-tribal conflict over grazing pasture and water.
The team has always stood with the Pokot and advocated for peace and harmonious living between the two communities, even when the Sebei elders provoked hostilities with their assertion that “Let the Pokot of Amudat stay in Amudat and eat their cows, and the Sebei of Kween stay in Kween and eat their grass.” A battle-hardened ex-Arrow boy who was part of the Teso militia that drove Joseph Kony out of the Teso region and team are strong advocates of peaceful co-existence among the Pokot, Sebei, and Karamojong communities. “George Owanyi is too tough and skilled. He knows how we always do things, and you find that he has deployed, and we fail to know who informed him,” said Lokey Francesco, a former raider.
In a phone interview,when asked why the ritual was performed Hon Lolem Micah Akasile expressed his commitment to fulfilling his promises and advocating for the rights and needs of his people. He proudly recounted his efforts in bringing water closer to the community, reducing the arduous miles they previously had to walk. “All I have done is fulfill my pledges and fight for the rights and desires of my people. After a long time of quest for water, I managed to bring water to schools, health centers and communities closer to reduce the miles that my people walked to access water since they are a less privileged community,” said Hon Lolem Micah Akasile.
Reflecting on the cultural significance of the ceremony, Hon. Betty Chelain and Hon Lolem Micah Akasile requested President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to grant an audience to Pokot cultural leaders at Entebbe to deepen his understanding of the Pokot culture. She emphasized the historical neglect of Pokot representation in government, stating, “Since the inception of our governance structures, no Pokot child has ever been seen in any ministry