The Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Betty Amongi, has tasked cultural leaders in the Teso sub-region to take an active role in preserving local identity by promoting indigenous languages, traditions, and moral values.
Speaking at a performance review meeting with officials from the Iteso Cultural Union (ICU) and the Kumam Cultural Heritage (KCH) in Soroti, Amongi warned that cultural erosion, especially among youth in urban areas and the diaspora, is threatening the survival of communities’ core values.
“The language is the identity of a community,” she said. “It’s worrying that many of our children growing up in Kampala or abroad cannot speak Ateso or Kumam. What remains of your identity if you cannot speak your own language?”
Amongi urged cultural leaders to safeguard not only language but also traditional customs such as marriage rites, dress codes, and ceremonies that define Teso’s unique heritage.
“Even our marriage traditions are being diluted. What you now see in Iteso is a copy of Buganda marriage customs. This must be corrected,” she warned.
“Culture must be transferred from one generation to the next through tangible practices—food, dress, language, and ceremonies.”
The minister commended ICU and KCH for their work in community dispute resolution, noting that clan leaders play a vital role in addressing land conflicts, family disputes, and cases of gender-based violence before they escalate to formal courts.
“Clan leaders are the first line of response in society. If there is a domestic issue—be it marital conflict, land wrangles, or defilement—it is the clan that responds before the police or RDC,” Amongi stated.
During the visit, the ICU and KCH leadership, represented by Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot and Charles Okile, thanked the government for its continued support but highlighted challenges such as limited funding and the need for capacity-building in conflict mediation and child protection.
In response, Amongi pledged to coordinate with government agencies to provide training for cultural leaders, especially in areas prone to land disputes and family conflicts.
“Let us know your needs. We cannot support all at once, but we will start somewhere,” she assured. “Our goal is a future where our children know their culture, their language, and have strong community support.”
She welcomed ICU’s efforts to simplify customary land tenure systems to reduce conflicts, stressing that land and marriage remain key sources of social unrest.
The engagement in Soroti marks the start of a nationwide oversight campaign by the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development to integrate cultural institutions into efforts addressing early marriage, child neglect, and domestic violence.
Amongi concluded that Uganda’s development must go beyond economic progress to embrace cultural preservation and social cohesion as pillars of a resilient nation.