By: Amacha Goli.

Adjumani, (UG):- The countdown for the election of the Lopirigo of Madi is on following the successful endorsement of the Constitution of the Madi Cultural Institution (Opi Madi Dri i) and the Electoral Guidelines by the clan chiefs in a meeting held at Adjumani district council hall on August 6, 2024.

During the heated meeting, which was co-chaired by Mr Ramadhan Mawadri and Mr Anyama David, District Community Development Officers (DCDOs) of Adjumani and Moyo respectively, the chiefs have unanimously agreed to have the elections conducted on August 23rd, 2024, following a resolve on the elections’ guidelines that MADCEF prepared.

Five clan chiefs have shown interest in contesting for the seat of Lopirigo (Paramount chief) the head of Madi Cultural Institution.

Amacha Goli, DailyExpress’ Bureau chief in West Nile and Board Member Media4All, Uganda brings to you the profiles of the five chiefs who have confirmed their interest in vying for the coveted position of the Lopirigo of Madi Cultural Institution.

The Interim Lopirigo of Madi Opi Drani Stephen Izakare.

The Interim Paramount Chief Opi Drani Stephen Izakare chief of the Palanyua clan, would not disclose details of his academic profile to our reporter. Still, sources close to his throne reveal that during his primary school days, he was among the devoted parishioners of Kampala Miracle Centre it was from there that a foster parent from England identified him and took them to England for further spiritual nurturing.

He was elected in 2011 to serve for 5 years as interim Lopirigo of Madi. He assigned the task of revitalizing the Madi cultural Institution by preparing the ground for the election of a substantive Lopirigo an assignment he failed to accomplish and instead indulged in agendas targeting personality progress amidst further dissolute gaffes.

Opi Drani commands some degree of exposure based on his long spell in Europe and his cross-culture collaborations’ after he was elected in the executive committee of Africa Union (AU) Cultural Institutions Association.’

Opi Drani is the nephew of the first Lopirigo of Madi  Opi Izama Angelo of the Palanyua clan, following the constitutional amendment of 1963, that recognized other cultural institutions in Uganda, district councils were then instructed to ensure that each district has a paramount chief, and that was when Madi district council approved Izama Angelo as Lopirigo of Madi.

Izama Angelo is the father of the Supreme Court Judge Christopher Izama and the grandfather of former Daily Monitor journalist, now Board member of Uganda Investment Authority Izama Angelo.

Opi (Chief) Suru Simon Baru of Pakele Chiefdom.

The Chief of Pakile Chiefdom Opi Suru Simon Baru the VIII is 66 years old, he holds a diploma in Gender and Development with a summative wealth of working experience both in the government and private sector, he worked in the Uganda police force in the regime of president Idi Amin Dada.

After the fall of the government of President Amin, he joined civil service and briefly served as parish chief, he was elevated to the position of sub-county chief and deployed in the greater Pakele (Pakele sub-county, Pakele Town council, Ofua sub-county and Itirikwa sub-county), and then rose to the post of County chief and deployed in East Moyo County.

Opi Suru then joined politics and was elected the LCIII chairman of Ofua sub-county and upgraded to district local Councilor in the then Moyo district council, He left politics and joined refugees Operations serving as the deputy refugees desk officer OPM in Adjumani.

Back to politics and represented the people of Ofua Sub County in Adjumani district council before retiring to serve his subjects in Pakile Chiefdom when Madi Elders Forum led by Mama Angela Kaba (RIP) plotted the advocacy for the restoration of Madi Cultural Institution in 2010.

He participated in the pacification of Apaa conflict when he was named a member of the Madi peace team that was headed by the former prime minister Hon. Rukuhana Rugunda the team successfully completed the task assigned to them and handed over the report to President Yoweri Museveni.

He is married to a Madi woman with a number of children who are actively involved in their own capacities in the development of the district and Uganda.

Opi (Chief) Avuku Simon Kutulungu 1V of Metu Li.

After the death of Chief of Metu Li, Daniel Kutulungu III, there was a vacuum which was recently filled by Opi Avuku Simon Kutulungu the IV, he was installed by a council of Pamujo Elders on June 22, 2024, in a low-key ceremony that was witnessed by the Moyo assistant RDC Mr. Julius Nyerere.

Opi Avuku Kutulungu IV, went to the prestigious Kings College Buddo for his Advanced Level secondary education and joined Makerere University where he obtained a degree in Social Works and Social Administration (SWASA).

Opi Avuku secured his first job with New Vision Printing and Publishing Corporations (Vision Group) as principal administrative officer serving for 10 years, a task he handled dedicatedly and with an excellent record.

 He decided to return home and joined local government as town clerk, Moyo town council. He made some strides in the development of Moyo Town Council, he laid the foundation for the construction of the current office complex. For reasons he could not disclose, Opi Avuku left Moyo town council after serving for 5 years.

Opi Avuku was engaged by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and held the position of Manager of Administration for 10 years, Opi Avuku is 58 years old, a family man, married to a Muganda lady and happily settled with children.

The reigning Palaro Clan chief, Opi Zackary Beka.

The reigning Palaro clan Chief Opi Beka Zachary was born on  November 5, 1956. He is a clan chief who has been in the spotlight of Madi Cultural Institution, In January 2024, he invited Gen.Muhoozi Kainerugba (MK) for his installation ceremony but MK was represented by Kitgum woman MP Hon.Lilian Aber, the minister of state for relief in Office of Prime Minister.

Opi Zackary is a product of Lodonga TTC(PTC), graduating as a grade II teacher, his first assignment was in Odu Primary school in Pakele sub-county in the present-day Itirikwa sub-county where he had a very brief stint and later forsaken the profession.

 He later pursued a diploma in stores management during his 12 years stint as a fuel clerk with LWF and AAH both Implementing partners of UNHCR, During his tenure as fuel clerk, he maintained a glaring record until his contract ran out in 2007, Opi Zackary is amongst the visibly few well to do chiefs in Madi sub-region as he is overseeing a huge chunk of land and a reasonable herd of cattle.

Opi Akuti Moses Chokiri Debele IV of Adropi Elu clan.

The towering Opi Akuti Moses Chokiri Debele was born on May 18, 1964, he attended his elementary education at Biyaya primary school in Adjumani town council and could not advance till the opportunity presented after joining the Born Again churches.

Opi Chokiri attended theology school of the African Ministry in Entebbe in 2003-4 and attained a diploma in Theological studies.

He was elected treasurer of the Association of born again churches in Adjumani a position he held for 7 years before taking up the call to lead the people of the Adropi Elu clan.

Opi Chokiri is a farmer and a soft-spoken public speaker whose inspirational public speaking is in the epoch where most of the leaders in our country and Madi sub-region indulge in irrational and non-inspiring public communication.

The Madi people have been without a Cultural Institution for about 50 years after the government banned all cultural Institutions in the country following the 1966 Buganda crisis during the tenure of President Milton Obote.

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By Marko Taibot

The Bishop of Ma’di and West Diocese, Rt Rev Bishop Collins Andaku, has called up education stakeholders to support the sector to eradicate poverty and ignorance in the community. The Bishop made the call while presiding over the 20th anniversary of Mummy’s care Nursery and Primary in Adjumani. The Bishop lauded the proprietors of the school for investing in education observing that it would go a long way in transforming the lives of many people both refugees and nationals in the district.

“This is the best investment done for the people in this land, an institution where you are investing for the future of our land, an investment which is going to fight ignorance, fight poverty and moral decadency in society,” Andaku said. He added that “there are many people who are investing in things that destroy mankind, but this school is going to transform lives of many in the region.”

The Bishop also challenged the parents saying they are very key to the success of the education of their children before appealing to parents to always teach their children to be God-fearing as a core value of being successful in life.

Mr. Onesimus Dralega, the proprietor of the school while addressing the stakeholders pointed out that 20 years ago, reading with proficiency was a challenge and even learners in Primary Seven were struggling to read during examinations.

“I was one day invited as a chief guest to celebrate the best performance and at that time the best candidates passed in division three, and the whole district performed very poorly, we then said what could be done to improve performance, I did a pilot study and asked the authorities of the town council to allow me to start an early learning center,” Dralega said

He also noted that at the time they opened the school, there were only 4 learners and that brave parents had risked sending their children to them but now they boast of more than 500 with about 40% of the learners being refugees.

The Adjumani District Chairperson, Hon. Ben Anyama, applauded the school founders for opening Mummy’s Care Primary School which according to him has helped in decongesting some of the government schools that have high enrolment due to the presence of the refugees.

“Our schools are now congested, the classrooms are not even enough, the private sector has done a tremendous job by opening the private schools,” Anyama said.

According to the Head Teacher of the school, Mr. Justine Alule, the school has been performing well because of the motivation of the teachers, effective time management, and consistent study habits. The school started presenting candidates in the Primary Leaving Examination in 2015 when the school had no examination center number where 32 learners were presented and 27 passed in the second division and 5 division in three. Adjumani district has got 172 primary schools and 134 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres. Celebrating 20 years of academic performance is a significant milestone for Mummy’s Care Primary School. It is a proud moment for the entire school community, including learners, teachers, and parents. Such achievements reflect dedication and commitment to education.

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By Bazio Doreen.

82% of refugee households in Adjumani face mental health issues commonly referred to as ‘riak-nhom’ (disturbed mind) in Diinka (The most prominent South Sudan Language) according to findings in a 2021 Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Baseline Assessment report done by Alliance Forum for Development (AFOD). A 2021 World Bank study also stated that refugees in Uganda are ten times more prone to experience depression symptoms with incidences much higher among females. As some of the victims share their experiences, it is now evident that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and other partners in Adjumani have created hope away from home for refugee women and girls facing mental health issues especially due to limited access to basic needs.

Beneficiaries’ testimonies.

One such beneficiary is Christine Kiliha who used to be among the 14% of refugees in Adjumani who abuse drugs. Kiliha, 36, a South Sudanese refugee living in Pagirinya, married, mother of 8, reveals that she started abusing drugs after failing to cope with the challenges that come with having a husband who is less supportive amidst the ever-dwindling food ration and limited access to other basic needs. Unfortunately, Kiliha, only received help from Lutheran World Federation (LWF) after she had miscarried and was in dire need of psychosocial support. All this was happening amid memories of how she almost lost her life when she first got pregnant at 13.

“I got pregnant at the age of 13 but out of fear to disclose, I continued to do manual labor until my father discovered my secret. My father threatened to kill me and I had to stay away from home for two months. I started marriage on a bad note and am now worried that my daughter is already facing the same at 11,” Kiliha narrates.

For Dudu Betty, 37, a widow, South Sudanese living in the Borooli settlement, and mother of 4, it was tough to cope with the sudden loss of her husband to a fatal accident. This she recalls made her have a miscarriage because she couldn’t take the thought of having to suddenly fend for her 4 children and the other 3 that her husband had brought into the home when they got married. This burden was however lessened when she attended group sessions organized by LWF with other widows.

“I was stressed and confused because I had just lost a stepson who was s supporting me and my husband fend for the family,” Dudu recalls.

Nabwire Martha, a clinical Psychologist with LWF, observes that they try to minimize relapses of beneficiaries into depression disorders by giving out financial grants to some of them. She also observes that this has enabled the women to become more productive because the project also empowers them to identify sources of income/livelihood. Those who were previously stigmatized are also supported to gain back their self-esteem in the community. In 2023 alone, LWF reached out to 2,902 women with funding from UNHCR and 553 women with support from other partners. LWF works in all the 19 refugee settlements in the district. However, as NGOs empower women, this comes with negative effects too. There is a risk of Gender-Based Violence, as many men feel that they are ignored or left out. The stronger and braver women leave their husbands to fend alone for the family.

Mary Candia, 44, a South Sudanese refugee from Kajokeji, widow, and mother of 7, left her husband who she reveals wasn’t supporting her to meet the family’s basic needs. She has since decided to resort to farming and doing casual work as a source of income. She also adds that the charcoal business had progressed but old age has now caught up with her and she can’t do much.

“After I lost my husband, I decided to get another man but I was forced to also abandon him because he wasn’t supportive. He couldn’t even fend for the 2 children that I had for him. When you don’t have money, it is easy to think about suicide. But that has since changed after receiving counseling. I use the little money I get for basic needs because I can’t afford school fees” Candia says.

Sr Alice Bunia, the officer-in-charge of Mental Health at Adjumani General Hospital, states that the district records at least 2,000 cases of mental health disorders and about 10 cases of suicide each year.

For Drania Unichi, from Nimule – South Sudan living in Maaji settlement, and married with two children, the case is quite different. She was abandoned by her husband when she was just 6 months pregnant. This was after they fought because he wasn’t supportive even while he is a farmer. She now does casual work and hairdressing to support the young family.

According to Alice Azunyo, a Child Protection Assistant – World Vision, under a 3-year (2022 – 2025) project funded by the Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they have reached out to 492 refugee women in Mungula and Maaji refugee settlements. Under the Problem Management Plus (PMP) Program, beneficiaries from Child Protection and VSLA engagements are identified to benefit from mental health sessions where they share their problems and possible solutions for advice and scrutiny. Alice also observes that due to the PMP program, there has been a decrease in cases of Gender Based Violence because women learn techniques to calm down emotions not only their emotions but those of their intimate partners. There has also been a decrease in child neglect and child abuse due to improved livelihoods, and reduced alcoholism. Women usually mistreat their children because they fear to attack their husbands/men.

This is very likely for women like Anzoa Gift who get married when they are helpless or vulnerable. Anzoa, 21, a South Sudanese living in Pagirinya, married with one child, was chased away from home after it was discovered that she was being courted by a boy. Unfortunately, she ended up with a man who wasn’t worth the effort. Her husband was shortly arrested for defilement. At the time, she was pregnant and had to start selling snacks to be able to start paying up the loan of her husband while he served his sentence and negotiated with the family of her co-wife. Abortion thus became an option but she was counseled out of it under a project by Tutapona, a mental health-focused NGO working in Adjumani.

“After my husband was arrested for defilement, I was so depressed because I felt so alone. I felt abortion was an option because I had entered marriage unwillingly,” Anzoa explains.

According to Asienzo Agnes, a Mental Health Field Facilitator, since 2014, Tutapona has run 3 projects in Nyumanzi, Borooli, Ayilo, Olua, Pagirinya, and Agojo settlements through a gradual process of psychosocial support and awareness, mentorship, referrals, exhibitions, and counseling that is needs-based. In 2023, they reached out to 191 women out of 340 beneficiaries.

Other interventions.

Indeed young people like Anzoa need innovative ways of helping them break barriers on mental health issues. Right to Play (RTP), an NGO working in Pagirinya settlement, Adjumani was creative enough to improve the skills and capacities of refugee and host community youth to support their psychosocial well-being and mental health through enriched access to safe sport. With funding from the Olympic Refugee Foundation, between August 2020 and July 2023, RTP in a consortium of 4 other partners has reached out to 11, 668 vulnerable youth between 15 – 24 years, in 4 refugee hosting districts through soccer, and netball. In Adjumani, RTP has enrolled 168 females, created 7 youth spaces, and 12 groups, done 12 home visits, and established 18 sports clubs.

In other similar projects, the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) and UN Women, between 2016 and 2020 implemented the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy project with about 28,225 women and girls’ beneficiaries receiving counseling, training on positive coping mechanisms and life skills after screening. Jesuit Refugee Services, another NGO, in 2023 also supported 1,387 women out of 1,744 beneficiaries to improve resilience, psychosocial well-being, and positive coping mechanisms to come to terms with past traumatic experiences and future shocks through training, sensitization and emergency support in thematic areas of child protection and Sexual Gender Based Violence. In a project that started running from December 2023 and ends in August 2025, Emesco Development Foundation has also so far treated 299 women out of 528 beneficiaries during the 36 out of 80 outreaches so far conducted in Agojo, Alere, Oliji, and Elema settlements.

Adjumani hosts about 244,374 refugees in 19 settlements. 85% (182,977) of the population are women and children.  55% of the 1,500,000 refugees living in Uganda are from South Sudan. The Refugee Response Plan (RRP) 2019-2020 emphasizes the reinforcement of MHPSS services and infrastructure as a key priority. However, according to UNHCR, as of October 2019, the RRP was funded at only 39%. Earlier this year, partners started joint efforts in Maaji and Ayilo settlements in Adjumani to be able to meet an increasing demand for mental health services. AFOD, an NGO that has been working in Adjumani since 2016 has also received funding under which they acquired 10 acres of land in Rende Village, Adropi Sub County, to construct a Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre. 

Government effort.

In April 2022, the Ministry Of Health (MOH), Uganda drafted and validated the first national mental health strategic plan (2022 -2026) which seeks to among other functions strengthen mental health response and provide comprehensive, integrated, and responsive mental health care. The subject of mental health has gained increased attention in recent years, with most initiatives focused on attempts to decentralize and integrate mental health into primary health care. Unfortunately, there are only 53 psychiatrists in Uganda, most in urban areas. The Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) working group in Kampala has been operational and meeting monthly since May 2019, with similar groups established at the settlement level. However, despite some positive reforms in Uganda’s mental health landscape, according to MOH the prevalence of mental health problems remained as high as 30% as of November 2023.

This story was published in partnership and with funding from Baraza Media Lab, Kenya.

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