President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday met with the Lango Paramount Chief (Won Nyaci), Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune, and a delegation of clan leaders at State House Entebbe to discuss issues of cultural preservation, education, health, and community transformation.
President Museveni warmly welcomed the cultural leaders, commending their efforts in maintaining peace and unity within the Lango sub-region. He urged them to continue promoting local languages, culture, and social transformation for sustainable development.
“I was supposed to be campaigning today, but I said I needed to go to Cabinet because there were some issues there, and also to meet the cultural leaders. I’m happy to receive you here,” President Museveni said.
I was pleased to meet His Highness the Paramount Chief of Lango (Won Nyaci), Eng. Dr. Moses Odongo Okune, and other leaders from the Lango sub-region at Entebbe.
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) October 6, 2025
We discussed various issues and agreed that some cultural practices should be reviewed, while others should be… pic.twitter.com/KXclwQ1Yeh
The President emphasized the importance of safeguarding Uganda’s indigenous languages alongside English and Swahili, which serve as the official and regional languages respectively.
“Nobody has banned local languages, but who is promoting and taking care of them? This is where cultural leadership comes in. In the past, schools used to teach in the vernacular, but that is fading. Cultural institutions can fill that gap,” he said.
Promoting Positive Culture and Gender Equality
President Museveni called on cultural and religious leaders to help preserve good cultural practices while discarding those that hinder progress, especially regarding gender equality and inheritance.
“I have already audited the Banyankole culture because it was suppressing the girl child. My daughters must have their share — they are my blood,” he asserted.
Wealth Creation and Modern Farming
The President further encouraged the Lango community to embrace wealth creation through modern agricultural practices and land management.
“We need modern wealth based on money. Depending on your landholding, choose the right enterprise for your family. With coffee, you can earn about Shs18 million per acre annually, and fruits can fetch up to Shs30 million,” he said.
He advised families to fence and manage their land better to allow for controlled agriculture, irrigation, fertilizer use, and pasture development.
President Museveni also appealed to local leaders to play a proactive role in promoting education, health, and peace within their communities.
“Please help me by dealing directly with the people — promote education, good health, and peace,” he added.
Lango Leaders Commend President Museveni
In his remarks, the Lango Paramount Chief, Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune, expressed gratitude to the President for restoring peace and stability in the region.
“You rid Lango of state-inspired violence of the 1970s and 1980s, cattle rustling, and insurgencies like those of Kony and Lakwena that had caused death and displacement,” he said.
The Paramount Chief also thanked President Museveni for spearheading wealth creation initiatives that have helped uplift the livelihoods of the people of Lango.
“Lango is grateful to Your Excellency for the developments you have brought to the region,” he added.
President Museveni, in turn, thanked the people of Lango for their continued love and support, noting that their cooperation has been key to national unity and progress.
