Moment of truth as Bugisu leaders elect Umukhukha

After Mushikori’s death in 2021, two parallel search committees for the new Umukhukha were instituted by parallel factions,  resulting in the election of two rival cultural heads, Mr Mike Jude Mudoma and Mr John Imran Wagabyalire.

In the renewed effort by the government to end the impasse between the two principals, State Minister for Gender and Cultural Affairs, Peace Mutuuzo  on July 14 wrote to former Umukhukha Wilson Wamimbi Weasa, asking him to convene a meeting of 26 clan leaders to resolve  the issue “within 30 days effective the day of receipt of this communication.”

Mr Wamimbi, who was the first Umukhukha, was elected in 2010.

The minister said the process should follow the guidelines in the gazetted constitution of Inzu Ya Masaba, adding that the ministry will send an observer once the place for election is chosen and communicated.

Mr John Difasi Wabuya, the chairperson of clan leaders, confirmed that Mr Wamimbi had scheduled the meeting for July 26 at Mbale District headquarters.

“We  want to resolve the impasse so that the chosen leader among the two principals can be gazetted. We have been orphans for a long time due to, among other things, indecisiveness for three years now,” he said.

Mr Jackson Wasukira, the minister of security in Mr Wagabyalire’s cabinet, when contacted, said they will respect the government directive.

“At the end of day, it’s the minister who  gazettes, so she has the powers,” he said.

However, the list of clan leaders needed to be vetted since some of chairpersons have since died and not been replaced.

“The list the minister attached to the letter was given to her by the late Mushikori but some of them have  died but they have not been replaced. Other clans have two leaders. The list needed to be edited otherwise you will find two people appearing as chairpersons for one clan,” he said.

Mr Steven Masiga, the spokesperson of Mr Mudoma faction, also said they will comply with the guidance issued by the minister since it is in line with court and various statutory directives.

“We have absolute confidence in the identified mediator (Mr Wamimbi) and the wise elders (clan heads) who are men of tested integrity to bring this confusion to an end,” Mr Masiga said.

Earlier, the Solicitor General and the court pointed out that Mr Wagabyalire’s election was conducted when the term of the organs of the Inzu Ya Masaba had elapsed in October, which invalidated the election, while the election of Mr Mudoma occurred when a court order stopping the election was in place. Both factions were instead guided that clan leaders should resolve the dispute of who is the rightful cultural leader.

But such earlier efforts, including a meeting convened by Minister Mutuuzo on March 20, 2021, and May 4, 2021, meeting with then Minister of Gender Frank Tumwebaze failed to achieve any positive results.

However, in most of the conciliatory meetings, which were boycotted by My Wagabyalire and his factions, Mr Mudoma was overwhelmingly endorsed as the rightful Umukkukha.

But when the Uganda Kings and Cultural Leaders Forum (UKCLF) intervened early this year, Mr Mudoma faction also boycotted and cultural leaders interviewed by Daily Monitor said Mr Wagabyalire was duly elected.

When contacted, Mr Wagabyalire maintained that he is the rightful Umukhukha and that he is currently in office waiting for gazettement by the government.

Asked if he had received Minister Mutuuzo’s latest letter, Mr Wagabyalire said he had not, adding that he was also not aware of the scheduled meeting for clan leaders. Mr Wagabyalire is clan leader of Halasi in Sironko District.

“I am in the office. The throne of Bamasaba  is occupied, you either pay allegiance to me or you don’t. I have called Mr Mudoma on several occasions and told him to stop causing confusion,” Mr Wagabyalire said.

Mr Wagabyalire claimed that he had appointed Mr Mudoma as minister of environment in his cabinet but Mr Mudoma refused. “We talk. I usually call him but for him, he rarely calls me,” he said.

In a July 21 letter signed by the secretary general, Mr Francis  Wodero, affiliated to Mr Wagabyalire, he also asked the minister to gazette Wagabyalire, saying they are not comfortable with her guidance of involving clan leaders to resolve the conflict.

Mr Mudoma said after the outcome of the clan leaders meeting, the government should expedite the process of gazetting the rightful elected leader who will be chosen in order to bring harmony in the now divided institution.

 “Our opponents have continued to  ignore government guidance and even security guidelines on all fronts. We have used every occasion to extend an olive branch to our brothers but now this is a gesture from the government to help us to sort the impasse, ” he said.

Mr Richard Wambede, a chairperson of farmers in Sironko, said the time has come to stop Mr Wagabyalire group from holding Bamasaba hostage.

“The minister asked our Umukhukha emeritus Wamimbi to convene a meeting of clan heads, which he has done but now a few people want to divert the arrangement ,” Mr Wambede said.

Background

The institution’s 26 clans include; Kigai, Lutsekhe, Mututa, Mashika, Mubutu, Mumbo, Wabwala , Kobero, Mutiru and Wakoko from the family of Mubuya. Others are Wafumbo, Mukhonde, Wangokho, Musoba, Saano, Shiende, Siu from the family of Wanxale and Buluganya, Tandiga, Hugu, Masifwa, Sulan, Muyobo, Halasi, Lagu and Ginyanya from Mwambu family. The institution conducts rotational leadership   among the three families of Wanale, Mubuya and Mwambu.