Pader CAO Defies Justice Minister Mao’s Directive on Town Council Chair’s Status

A standoff is brewing in Pader District as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Michael Wanje, has challenged a directive from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, regarding the status of Kilama Fearless Wod-Acholi, the elected Urban Council III Chairperson of Pader Town Council.

Minister Mao recently affirmed Kilama’s right to resume office and receive unpaid salary arrears, following Kilama’s return from prison. However, CAO Wanje continues to bar Kilama from office, citing administrative concerns and a need for legal clarity.

The controversy stems from Kilama’s conviction on March 2, 2023, by the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Pader. He was found guilty of incitement to violence, unlawful assembly, and malicious property damage, receiving sentences of 12 months, 6 months, and 3.5 months imprisonment, respectively. After initially absconding, Kilama was arrested on January 16, 2025.

In Kilama’s absence, Pader Town Council, following local government procedures, appointed Town Council Speaker Dickson Labongo as acting chairperson on March 7, 2024. Labongo continues to hold the office.

CAO Wanje has formally sought guidance from the Solicitor General on Kilama’s legal status, highlighting ongoing governance challenges in the district.

Kilama has appealed his conviction. On March 20, 2025, the High Court in Kitgum overturned the incitement to violence charge and sentence, upholding only a 6-month sentence for unlawful assembly. He was ordered to serve the remaining 89 days, accounting for time spent on remand. Kilama’s legal team argues that this judgment, coupled with a pending case in the Court of Appeal, means he remains qualified to hold office.

Adding to his legal team’s argument, a letter from March 6, 2023, shows Kilama delegating his duties to Finance Secretary Macklyn Adong due to court commitments, which his supporters say demonstrates his continued engagement with council affairs. Despite this, the CAO maintains that Kilama’s absence and legal issues justify his exclusion from office.

Minister Mao, speaking publicly at Kilama’s homecoming ceremony, emphatically stated that no law bars Kilama from holding office and that his full salary arrears should be paid.

Kilama has pushed back strongly against the CAO’s assertions, calling them “misleading” or “a big lie.” He refutes claims that he went into hiding, stating that no arrest warrant was issued against him when he was “violently arrested” while attending his appeal at the Kitgum High Court.

The Solicitor General has yet to issue a legal opinion on the matter, leaving the leadership of Pader Town Council in limbo as Labongo continues to serve as acting chairperson.