KAMPALA – Local Council V chairpersons from six districts of Bugisu have resolved to meet the minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Frank Tumwebaze to seek lasting solution to the current confusion and conflicts over the Masaba cultural institution.
The chairpersons of Namisindwa, Manafwa, Bududa, Mbale, Bulambuli and Sironko districts reached the decision following the failure of the two claimants to the throne and their factions to agree on whether to hiold new elections or to recognise either of the two as the new cultural leader of Bamasaba.
Minister Tumwebaze last week wrote a letter addressed both to Mike Jud Mudoma and Amulam Wagabyalile, both who claim to be the rightfully elected Masaba cultural leader and the Masaba cultural institution saying that government is not ready gazette any of the two as cultural leader of the institution until the two factions sit at a round table and agree with evidence about true, one, elected cultural leader for gazettement.
While speaking on Tuesday during Bugisu region LCV brief special meeting held at Mbale district head offices located at Malukhu in industrial city division Mbale city, Wilson Watira the chairperson of Bugisu LCV chairperson also LCV chairperson of Bududa district gave the background to the whole affair, now impasse.
Watira said that in 2019 Manafawa, Bududa, Mbale , Sironko and Bulambuli district councils proposed and passed a minute which they presented to parliament asking government to grant Bugisu with a cultural institution like other regions which was later passed and Masaba cultural institution started existing in 2010.
He added that this implies that as district chairpersons they can intervene into any issue which may lead to the collapse of the institution, like this current confusion threatens to.
Bernard Eli-Mujasi the LCV chairperson Mbale district also says that this current confusion about the legitimate new elected cultural leader is going to keep Bugisu region behind in terms of development since they have now taken “five months” without gazettement of the cultural leader -Umukuka- for him to take office and start working for Bamasaba.
Hebert Mulekwa the LCV chairperson of Sironko also says that as LCV chairpersons from six districts of Bugisu they have resolved that next week on Monday they are going to meet the minister and explain to him clearly with evidence about the rightfully elected cultural leader out of the two such that they can gazette him and end these conflicts and confusion which may even result into bloodshed.
