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Citizen Posts
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By ALEX PITHUA
The Equal Opportunities Commission-Uganda (EOC-U) has launched a robust investigation into allegations that the minority ethnicities tribes of Lendu aka Ndrukpa and Kebu have been grossly discriminated against and denied employment opportunities in Zombo district Local Government.
The Equal Opportunities Commission is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament to effectuate Article 32(3) and Article 32 (4) of the Constitution of Uganda.
The Commission is mandated to eliminate discrimination and inequalities against any individual or group of persons on the ground of sex, age, race, color, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, health status, social or economic standing, political opinion or disability, and take affirmative action in favor of groups marginalized on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them, and to provide for other related matters.
The tribunal comprising a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Denise Tusime, Under-secretary, EOC, Professor Sunday Nicholas Olwor, Head Legal EOC Musama Moragi and Commissioner Counsel Peace Anirwoth, held the first fact finding court session at Alangi sub-county hall, Zombo district on Monday 12th May 2025.
During the cross examinations, the aggrieved parties maintained to the court that there has been deep-rooted systemic, marginalization, discrimination, denial and impunity targeting Lendu and Kebu when there’s employment opportunities for government jobs that should benefit all regardless of ethnicities.
These told the court this has been orchestrated by the Alur tribes whom they said claimed to own the district.
The Chief of Kebu Rigangi Celestino Mengu observed that their total population is 54000 according to 2024 National population and housing census and that they have qualified personnel who are jobless due to the arrogance of the majority Alur tribe who work in the district.
While others whispered in court that Alur have ring fenced the jobs for their own graduates, Lendu secretary to the chief of Lendu Patrick Andhama affirmed to this asserting that the few educated among the have not been employed in Zombo district’ He alluded that their total population is about 20,000.
Settling in the sub-county of Akaa and parts of Zeu and Athuma. The 2024 population census for Uganda reported the Alur ethnic group at 1,152,858 people. In Zombo district they’re over 300,000 Alur people
According to Mengu, they predominantly occupied at least five lower local government administrative units, while Lendu Chiefdom says they occupied at least three lower local government administrative units out of the fifteen in Zombo district.
Asked by Head Legal EOC Moragi what he wants government to do Mengu testified that “since most head of departments in district, including schools’ headships, in charge health facilities, Senior Community Development Officers (SCDO), District Statutory Bodies like District Public Account Committee (PAC), District Service Commission (DSC), District Land Board Committee (DLBC), are occupied by majority Alur tribe, therefore they demand for affirmative action.”
To respond to the allegations, the tribunal cross-examined Zombo district officials including principal assistant CAO Kumakech Ephraim, Principal human resource Peter Munguaciel Angala, Assistant DHO Dr. Mark Bramali Boney, Senior Community Development Officer Walter Ongiera, Charlese Jakech, Clerk to council, and outgoing District Education officer, Nicholas Odeba.
The broad questions composed by Moragi ranged in areas of compositions of district statutory bodies, affirmative action plans, providing detailed data of the employees, promotion, recruitment criteria, whether they are aware about the manifestation of injustices about these ethnic minorities tribes among others.
However, a number of these officials were stunned with sharp grilling from the commission to invoke response from the district officials.
In conclusion recommendations the commission tasked the office of the CAO to submit the documents including, lists of the employees in Zombo by tribes and ethnicity, names of the persons of the statutory bodies by tribe and ethnicity for audit, avail to the commission ten copies of affirmative action plans for the ethnic minority tribes and all should be satisfied by Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development.
“It’s our prayer that these documents reach our secretariat by Monday 19th May 2025. This shall confirm to us that you are acting in good faith not by impunity.” Moragi
Her honor will come and give directives to all each and every stakeholder on what to do and how to do it.
“If you don’t submit them, this is contempt of court.” Professor Olwor warned the CAO office
Her honor Tusime echoed during the court, “our present here is to listen and address your concerns without leaving anyone behind.”
Kebu and Ndrukpa Migration History.
The Ndrukpa, also known as the Lendu ethnic community is an invisible ethnic minority community located in the north-western corner of Zombo District, in the West Nile region in Northwestern Uganda.
Their first history of the Ndrukpa was documented by Doctor Agantha Alidri, a researcher of history in Gulu University and the launch and dissemination of the 1st Ndrikpa history was held at the Zombo district headquarters’ board on Friday January 17th 2025.
The Lendu (Ndrukpa) ethnic community speaks the Ndrulo language.
The Lendu people in Uganda originally known as the Ndrukpa are the Sudanic ethnic groups of Uganda. According to Doctor Agatha’s research also their origin can be traced as far as present day Egypt.
The majority of the Lendu are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC. The Lendu (Ndrukpa) ethnic community is one of the 56 original ethnic groups in Uganda as of 1st February 1926 (1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda)
The Kebu belong to the Nilotic ethnic group. The Kebu originated from the Middle East, travelled through Ethiopia, South Sudan during the 13th century and currently settled in Uganda, Sudan and Congo.
The Kebu who migrated to Uganda permanently settled in the West Nile region specifically in Zombo district.
Economically, the Kebu are both agricultural and ironsmiths. The Kebu farm millet, sorghum, cassava, maize, bananas, beans, and other vegetables, and also do ironworks. With the fertile soils in Zombo district, the other districts of West Nile vow to it as their food basket.
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