How intrigue has kept Bamasaba without cultural head for a year

Mushikori refused to vacate the throne at the expiry of his term on November 28, 2020, saying he would hold on as long as there are internal flights within the institution.

The feud within the 12-year-old institution resulted in the formation of two parallel search committees for the next Umukhuka.

The faction led by Mr Nelson Wedaira, the speaker of the general assembly of the institution elected Mr Mike Jude Mudoma from Buyobo clan in November 2020 as next Umukhuka.

The other faction led by Mr Geoffrey Wepondi elected Mr John Wagabyalire in December 2020 from Halasi Clan, Sironko District.

However, the Resident City Commissioner, Mr Ahamada Washaki, at the weekend said the government was still waiting for the warring parties to agree on the rightful Umukhuka.

“The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development wrote to me  asking me to mediate the two parties so that they can come up with one name and submit it for  gazettement,” Mr Washaki said.

He commenced meetings last week with different stakeholders from religious leaders, local leaders, political leaders, clan and elders to end the stalemate.

Previous attempts by the government to mediate in the row have been futile despite a series of meetings.

The disputes instead worsened with a faction affiliated to Mr Mudoma setting up its parallel offices at Mutoto Cultural ground,  where the circumcision ceremony is launched every even year.

The faction allied to Mr Wagabyalirehas its offices in Malukhu near the district headquarters.

The first mediation meeting was chaired by the State Minister for Gender and Culture, Ms Peace Mutuuzo in March last year and another one by the then Minister of Gender, Mr Frank Tumwebaze.

Other reconciliatory meetings by the elders and clan heads from the Mwambu family and Bugisu have also registered unfruitful results.

Mr Micheal Mafabi, an elder from Wanale family, said politics and intrigue among leaders in Bugisu have frustrated  the institution.

“They have turned the institution into a battlefield. They are funding to keep the two principals, Mudoma and Wagabyalire in the ring  for selfish reasons,” Mr Mafabi said.

Mr Mudoma is believed to be a handiwork of some NRM leaders, who fear that if Mr Wagabyalire becomes Umukhuka, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP, and his cohort will wield a lot of power and discredit them before President Museveni.

However, Mr Mudoma’s supporters, claim Mr Wagabyalire is being supported and funded by the Opposition led by Mr Nandala Mafabi and also the chairperson of Bugisu Cooperative Society (BCU).

Mr Nandala, who is also secretary general of Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) during a recent interview with journalists, said Mr Wagabyalire was voted and gazetted.

“If anybody feels he is not a rightful leader, they should go to court. If they don’t want to go to court, let them work with him,” he said.

However, according to a December 2, 2021 letter  signed by the Minister of Gender, Ms Betty Amongi Ongom,  the government does not recognise any of the two factions, claiming the leadership of the institution has not gazetted any of them.

“The two parties are advised to follow the legal opinion of the Solicitor General and Attorney General in resolving their disputes before the ministry can gazette the legitimate leader,” the letter reads in part.

Mr Wepondi, the prime minister of an institution affiliated to Mr Wagabyalire, said the dialogue facilitated by Mr Washaki will not bear positive results.

“This may not result in positive results since the mediator,  Mr Washaki, is an agent of Mr Mudoma. He has been sighted in Mudoma’s meeting meaning he is part of the  camp,” he said.

The faction in their letter December 27 letter addressed to President Museveni maintain that Mr  Wagabyalire is the duly-elected Umukhuka.

Mr Steven Masiga, a spokesperson of the institution affiliated to Mr Mudoma’s group, said ongoing dialogue should be supported.

“We commend the efforts of the government to bring this stalemate to an end through home-made solutions. The agents of  Mr Wagabyalire have always been disruptive. They challenge whatever the government is doing,” he said.

Mr Siraji Magomu, a resident of Malukhu in Mbale City, said lack of strong NRM leadership in Bugisu is another challenge.

“Among our NRM leaders, including the ministers, nobody commands formidable respect. I wish if Mr Nandala was an NRM, the government would have ended this impasse a long time ago because he cannot be listened to,” he said.

Mr Gregory Mafabi Gidagui, a businessman and an opinion leader, said if the factions cannot agree, they should organise a reelection.

“Fresh elections under one umbrella will create healing and hence unity to enhance development,” Mr Gidagui said.

However, other leaders, including the former MP aspirant for Budadiri East in Sironko, Mr Richard Masereje,  said the  institution is a sham and should be disbanded.

Mr Jackson Wosukira Mashate, the minister of information in Mr Wagabyalire’s cabinet, said they need to repair the institution instead of  dissolving it.

“We can disagree on current management, but we can build on from there instead of agitating for demolition of the institution,” he said.

How they are elected

According to the constitution of Inzu Ya Masaba, Article 8.4, the elected cultural leader is supposed to serve only five years and not be subjected to re-election. The institution conducts rotational leadership among three families of Mwambu, Mubuuya, Wanaale. The descendants of Mwambu live in Sironko and Bulambuli districts, Mubuuya (  Manafwa, Bududa and Namisndwa) and Wanaale in Mbale District. The first cultural leader, Mr Wilson Wamimbi, who was elected in 2010 was  from the Wanaale family, while  the late Mushikori, who was elected in 2015, was from the family of Mubuuya.

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