Prime
Govt orders fresh election for Bugwere cultural leader
What you need to know:
- Since the death of John Weyabire in 2021, three people have been claiming to be rightful cultural l heads of the institution.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has ordered fresh elections for the leader of Bugwere Cultural Institution in a bid to end the leadership crisis that has embroiled the institution since 2021.
Since the death of John Weyabire in 2021, three people have been claiming to be rightful cultural l heads of the institution. They are Mr Samuka Mubbala, Mr Joshua Musimami and Mr Geofrey Weyabire.
The order for fresh elections was reached during a meeting held in Kampala on February 1 and chaired by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Betty Amongi.
The meeting was attended by the three rival camps.
Mr Badiru Kirya, the chairperson of the cultural council, told the Daily Monitor on Monday that the rival camps agreed on a common position of having an election re-run to end the impasse.
“It is true we had a meeting with the minister. All the three parties were present. The prime objective of the meeting was to come up with a common position on the way forward to address the leadership crisis in the institution of Obwa Ikumbania Bwa Bugwere,” Mr Kirya said.
“Several resolutions were agreed upon but the most important is to have fresh elections,” he added.
He explained that the three factions agreed that the exercise should be conducted within 14 days, starting with a process of re-organising the electoral college.
“All these processes would be conducted in accordance with the 2013 constitution of the institution,” Mr Kirya said.
The Cultural Council in its sitting held on June 25, 2022, elected Mr Wilber Joshua Musimami as the Ikumbania after the sudden death of Wayabire.
But Mr Geoffrey Wayabire and Mr Balaam Mubbala also conducted parallel elections, claiming Musimami was irregularly elected.
During the meeting in Kampala, Mr Musimami was accompanied by Joel Mugulusi (prime minister), Badiru Kirya, Padere Kikonkolo, Jacob Maiso, and John Musede (lawyer).
Mr Wayabire, on the other hand was accompanied by Mr Tom Mbalambeli, Fred Kamugo, Moses Mauki, Ms Sarah Wayabire and Anthony Kateu. Mr Mubbala’s camp had Mr Anthony Kalele, Rovers Wampula, Robert Mutono and Eddie Nagholo (lawyer).
Despite each camp’s efforts to secure government recognition, none of the contenders had been officially gazetted.
Mr Robert Watala, a resident of Budaka Town Council. said the decision to conduct fresh elections is timely.
“This is seen as a crucial step towards ending the persistent conflicts surrounding the Bagwere leadership crisis,” he said.
Daily Monitor has learnt that upcoming elections are slated to be held in Butebo District and more than 108 clan heads that form the cultural council are set to participate in the exercise.
However, Mr Balaam Mubbala told Daily Monitor that Mbale High Court was so clear on this matter after it dismissed an application filed by Mr Wayabire and the group challenging his declaration as the rightful cultural head of Bugwere.
“I will be so stupid to be part of this exercise and yet the High Court had given us an order declaring that I was rightly elected as the cultural leader. I will not be a party to this mess. The good thing is that I have the court order. For them they can proceed with their elections,” Mr Mubbala said.
