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Bugisu elders urge Museveni to resolve stalemate over new king
John Wagabyalire Amuran (L) and Mike Mudoma (R). PHOTOS | FILE
What you need to know:
- Background. Mr Mike Mudoma was elected and installed as Umukhuka III in November last year and Mr Wagabyalire, a retired teacher, was elected as next Umukukha in December, last year. During a reconciliation meeting, which took place at Mbale District headquarters on March 13, chaired by Ms Peace Mutuuzo, the State minister for Gender, it was found out that Mr Mudoma’s election was conducted by legitimate organs.
A section of elders in Bugisu Sub-region have asked President Museveni to intervene and resolve the impasse surrounding the election of the third king (Umukhuka III) of Bamasaba Cultural Institution.
The two parallel cultural leaders, Mr Mike Mudoma from the Buyobo Clan and Mr John Wagabyalire Amuran from Halasi Clan in Sironko District, all claim the throne.
They have since failed to reach consensus as directed by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr Frank Tumwebaze.
During the meeting chaired by Mr Tumwebaze in Kampala on May 4, the two rival groups had agreed to conduct consensus building and other electoral related processes within a week after which the new cultural leader would be elected and thereafter gazetted by the ministry.
On May 6, the family of Mwambu, where the third Umukhuka is supposed to hail from, convened a meeting at Mutufu in Sironko District as part of the procedures to reach consensus but Mr Wagabyalire and his supporters boycotted it, saying it was illegal.
The cultural institution conducts rotational leadership among three families of Mwambu, Mubuuya and Wanaale.
The first cultural leader, Mr Wilson Wamimbi, who was elected in 2010 was from the Wanaale family while the late Bob Mushikori, who was elected in 2015, hailed from the family of Mubuuya.
“The purpose of this communication, therefore, is to inform all clan chairmen and the delegates not to attend this illegal meeting,” the May 6, 2021, letter signed by Mr Geoffrey Wepondi, the secretary general and right hand man of Mr Wagabyalire, reads.
Nevertheless, eight of the nine clan leaders and 10 out of the 14 delegates attended the meeting and endorsed Mr Mudoma for the throne, and forwarded his name to the culture council on May 7.
The council also reached consensus and forwarded the name of Mr Mudoma to the speaker of institution, Mr Nelson Wedaira, who also forwarded the name to the general assembly.
Mr Wedaira, who led the faction that elected Mr Mudoma as the Umukhuka, has been recognised by government as the legitimate speaker of the institution deputised by his parallel rival for the job, Ms Rose Nelima, a supporter of Mr Wagabyalire.
The general assembly sat on May 8 and overwhelmingly voted in favour of Mr Mudoma. Daily Monitor has learnt that officials headed by the chairperson of the culture council, Mr Christopher Bunoti, have since submitted Mr Mudoma’s name to the ministry for gazettement despite continued opposition from the faction supporting Mr Wagabyalire.
Mr Isaac Masaba, an elder from Makudui Village in Namanyonyi Sub-county, Mbale District, said if President Museveni does not intervene, the confusion will go on.
Mr Jacob Magombe, another elder, accused the line ministers and top political leaders in Bugisu of fuelling the standoff by supporting parallel factions.
Most of the Opposition leaders in the sub-region, including MPs, pay allegiance to Mr Wagabyalire while those of NRM support Mr Mudoma.
“Our MPs are after their selfish interests but I also blame the line ministers, who have been dragging their feet in as far as gazettement is concerned. This gave birth to more confusion,” Mr Magombe, said.
