Chapter Sixteen
Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders.
246. Institution of traditional or cultural leaders.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the institution of
traditional leader or cultural leader may exist in any area of Uganda in
accordance with the culture, customs and traditions or wishes and aspirations
of the people to whom it applies.
(2) In any community, where the issue of traditional or cultural leader
has not been resolved, the issue shall be resolved by the community
concerned using a method prescribed by Parliament.
(3) The following provisions shall apply in relation to traditional
leaders or cultural leaders—
(a) the institution of traditional leader or a cultural leader shall be a
corporation sole with perpetual succession and with capacity to
sue and be sued and to hold assets or properties in trust for itself
and the people concerned;
(b) nothing in paragraph (a) shall be taken to prohibit a traditional
leader or cultural leader from holding any asset or property
acquired in a personal capacity;
(c) a traditional leader or cultural leader shall enjoy such privileges
and benefits as may be conferred by the Government and local
government or as that leader may be entitled to under culture,
custom and tradition;
(d) subject to paragraph (c) of this clause, no person shall be
compelled to pay allegiance or contribute to the cost of
maintaining a traditional leader or cultural leader;
(e) a person shall not, while remaining a traditional leader or cultural
leader, join or participate in partisan politics;
(f) a traditional leader or cultural leader shall not have or exercise
any administrative, legislative or executive powers of
Government or local government.
(4) The allegiance and privileges accorded to a traditional leader or
a cultural leader by virtue of that office shall not be regarded as a
discriminatory practice prohibited under article 21 of this Constitution; but
any custom, practice, usage or tradition relating to a traditional leader or
cultural leader which detracts from the rights of any person as guaranteed by