SOROTI - His Highness Papa Emorimor Sande Emolot Etomeileng, the Iteso Cultural Union Paramount Chief, has condemned the actions of Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, who recently ordered the destruction of several Iteso Cultural Union (ICU) sites in Katakwi District.

These sites, considered sacred and historically significant, have been a part of the Iteso culture for centuries.

Speaking yesterday in Soroti City, Emorimor described the actions of Lt. Gen. Elwelu as a direct attack on the Iteso people’s heritage and traditions.

According to Emorimor, these cultural sites have been integral to the Iteso community for over a thousand years, serving as places where young men undergo initiation into adulthood, a practice that is central to the Iteso way of life.

“This is an attack on who we are as a people, and we must stand firm to protect our culture and history,” Ocole said.

Emaso Ogwela, the cultural advisor to His Highness Emorimor from Arapai, Soroti, also condemned the destruction of the Asapan cultural sites.

According to Ogwela, these sites were once used as training grounds for the Iteso, and their demolition by Lt. Gen. Elwelu is an affront to the community’s spiritual and cultural identity.

“These sites were not just places of worship; they were integral to our rites of passage, and destroying them in the name of religion is not only misguided but disrespectful,” Ogwela said.

The controversy began earlier this week when Lt. Gen. Elwelu, along with members of several Born Again Christian church denominations, led a prayer session in Aputon village.

During the prayer meeting, the group claimed to have burned what they referred to as an “evil shrine” used by certain individuals to gain power and influence.

According to the group, the shrine had caused numerous disasters in Teso, including accidents, poverty, and death.

In response to the growing backlash, Lt. Gen. Elwelu issued a statement on Tuesday denying any involvement in the destruction of cultural sites.

He clarified that the site in question was not an officially recognized cultural landmark but was rather a private shrine owned by one Mr. William George Odeke in Aputon village.

Elwelu stated that the shrine was not gazetted by the government and thus did not qualify as a protected cultural site.

“The shrine that was destroyed was not a cultural site in the official sense, and its destruction was not aimed at erasing the Iteso culture,” Elwelu stated in his press release.

He further emphasized that his actions were motivated by the desire to rid the community of what he described as “evil practices” that he believed were detrimental to the well-being of the people in Teso.

Original Reporting; Teso Advanced News