MBALE — Bugisu leaders have endorsed a proposal for a committee of district leaders to preside over this year’s Imbalu inauguration ceremony amid growing tensions over the legitimacy of the current cultural leadership of the Bamasaba.
The resolution was reached during a joint consultative meeting involving the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Bugisu Members of Parliament, district leaders, cultural leaders and activists.
The government delegation was led by Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Henry Tumukunde, who was accompanied by the two state ministers under the ministry.
The arrangement follows concerns among Bugisu leaders that disagreements surrounding the cultural leadership of the Bamasaba could trigger tensions during the August 1 ceremony.
Traditionally, the Imbalu inauguration is presided over by the Umukuka, the cultural leader of the Bamasaba. However, disputes over the legitimacy of the sitting Umukuka, Jude Mike Mudoma, have sparked debate among cultural activists and community leaders.
During the meeting, the Bugisu Parliamentary Group presented a proposal for district leaders to oversee the inauguration, which was endorsed by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Bugisu Parliamentary Group chairperson Godfrey Wakooli Matembu said the arrangement is only meant to facilitate this year’s ceremony and does not resolve the wider dispute over cultural leadership.
He said the question of who should lead the cultural institution remains an issue for the Bamasaba community to resolve.
"I urge the community to desist from making inflammatory statements that could incite people," Matembu said.
The intervention follows concerns from some cultural activists who have questioned the legitimacy of the current cultural leadership and called for a peaceful approach to avoid confrontations during the inauguration.
Minister Tumukunde welcomed the resolution and pledged government support, including security deployment, to ensure the committee successfully oversees a peaceful ceremony.
Government also announced that mediation talks involving key stakeholders in the cultural leadership dispute had been scheduled for June 21 as part of efforts to find a lasting solution.
The meeting agreed that further engagements among stakeholders would continue to address outstanding issues surrounding the Bugisu cultural institution.
The August 1 Imbalu inauguration marks the official beginning of the traditional circumcision season among the Bamasaba and remains one of the region’s biggest cultural events, attracting participants from across Uganda and beyond.
