An Investigation By NBS TV & Nile Post
A few weeks ago, a tik-tok video was circulating on various social media platforms with aggressive messages. Gumazi Guwanga, a loudly rebellious Bamasaba culturalist, was calling out the government’s two-facedness in as far as the leadership of the cultural institution of the INZU YA BAMASABA is concerned.
“If you want to know how we behave, this is now the time. We shall kill one another. Do you want it or not? I know you have guns, but for us, the art of killing, we have it.”, Guwanga, verbally threatened.
The NBS Investigates team looked out for this tough-talking man and he reaffirmed his remarks, without remorse. He frankly, told NBS journalist, Kayonga Paul; “that is our position. It’s life and blood. We shall not change.”
This frustration is catalyzed by the ongoing leadership crisis, in the INZU YA BAMASAABA, that has persisted without a solution for the last three years.
Historically, the Bamasaba, commonly known as Bagisu in Uganda have not had a centralized cultural institution despite having a rich cultural influence beyond their territorial boundaries.
It was until 2010 that the people of Bugisu and their cross-border relatives in Kenya Baabukusu agreed to form a centralised cultural leadership, under the Cultural institution of the INZU YA BAMASAABA.
The former INZU YA BABASAABA Secretary General, Cornelius Wekunya knows the nuts and bolts of the making of an institution that was alien to the history of their heritage. Wekunya recalls that Mzee Jonathan Muwoma, the first Mugisu Cultural leader under Obote I was particularly concerned by the increasing gerrymandering of Bugisu to create numerous districts out of its traditional single territory.
The proposal to establish a centralized cultural leadership in Bugisu was already taking shape with the recognition that Bugisu were not traditionally conversant with hereditary leadership. After wild consultations, Wekunya recollects that Mzee Muwoma convinced other elders to establish such an institution (after all it is in the constitution.) “By then we had the whole Bugisu, which was divided into Mbale and Sironko. And he (Muwoma) anticipated that we are likely to have more. But to remain one, despite the divisions we needed that institution”, Wekunya, recollects.
It was through this spirit of unification that a cultural institution was established with a written constitution and term limits for the elected monarch known as UMUKUUKHA.
The institution has successfully had two leaders since 2010. That is; Wilson Weasa Wamimbi UMUKUUKHA I and the late Sir. Bob Mushikoli – UMUKUUKHA II. Towards the end of the Mushikoli’s reign, a rift was brewing and a section of the members of his culture council, almost impeached the UMUKUUKA II.
According to Mzee Wekunya, the former Secretary General of the INZU YA BAMASABA, by the time Mushikoli’s term of office expired, the cracks with some leaders of his leadership structures had become very glaring.
For Nelson Wedaira, the former speaker of the General Assembly of the INZU YA BAMASABA, the attempts to Impeach Mushikoli angered a section of leaders and they wanted to suspend some of them. They went and held a meeting in the republic Kenya, in a place called Mabaga. There, it was noted that the speaker (Wedaira), chairman culture council had to go out, Chairman Governing Board and all officers who were sitting in the second General Assembly were purported to have them impeached.
From Mabanga, the crisis escalated and created different power centres within the INZU YA BAMASAABA. It is alleged that before his death, Bobi Mushikoli had handed over office of the UMUKUUKA to John Amram Wagabyalire after the expiry of his leadership team. Within the same time, a section of other elders had allegedly elected Jude Mike Mudoma as their UMUKUUKA before the emergence of a seeming isolated Masolo Yaaya Gidudu. The three now all claim the monarchy, creating a hovering political crisis over this young cultural institution
Whereas Mudoma is now gazetted by the ministry of Gender as a cultural leader of the INZU ya Bamasaaba, Wagabyalire claims the INZU throne on grounds that he was crowned on March 8, 2023 as the UMUKUUKA.
But according to Masolo Yaaya Gidudu, the two are not traditionally qualified because, “For Buguuga, you’re appointed by those who are below to Buguuga”. To Masolo, Wagabayalire a Munyole and Modoma is a Sabiny.
Based on their constitution, the leadership structure of the Bamasaaba is rotational among the three traditional households of the sons of MASAABA, the founding father of the Bagisu.
From 2010-2015, the youngest lineage of Wanaale took over leadership under Wilson Weasa Wamimbi and successfully handed over to the Mubuuya Lineage under the now-late Sir Bob Mushikoli from 2015-2020.
The time of the first lineage Mwambu– to lead has now turned chaotic, with the three hot-headed claimants for the Bamasaba throne still chest thumping.
Eddy Komoli, has served has the Deputy Secretary General of the INZU, from the reign Mushikoli. He says since 2020, the family of Mwambu have had their chance to lead according to their constitution. But among them they have not come together to agree on one to take the lead.
Stephen Kizubo, one of the elders from Mwambu who lost his bid to be UMUKUUKA believes in persuasion for a consensus.
“Because they are one, like now the one who has been there, Wagabyalire, came upto here, and people said, if you’re working with Kizubo, our cultural leader, ME., you go ahead, because, me I said, I don’t want kerere, let’s work together” Kizubo told this reporter.
Beneath these conflicting voices, there is a strong unifying heritage, each claiming to want to preserve, promote and protect.
Moreover, circumcision locally known as IMBALU, is invariably the most influential cultural aspect of the Bagisu and their cross-border relatives the Babukusu from Kenya.
This particular heritage originates from Bunandutu Village in Busano Sub-County where there is a reserved cultural site that is used to initiate boys who are set for IMBALU.
“Various clans come from different areas, and during circumcision, they all come here for initiation and blessings, before they are taken in their respective courtyards for circumcision,” said Eddy Komoli.
For Bagisu, culture is about blood and life. “Now how can we as Bamasaaba have a king who does not originate from Bamasaaba” Masolo Yaaya Gidudu, the revolting bidder for the Ubukuuka, scoffed.
By word of mouth, it appears that the Bamasaaba are now losing authority over who should be the face of their heritage. A section of them points out political interference allegedly orchestrated by the officials of the state.
Masolo particularly alleges that the state wants to “…. bring OMUGUUGA for the NRM, they are not bringing OMUGUUGA, for the Bamasaaba”.
For John Amram Wagabyalire, the ungazatted Umukuukha, it is the state minister of Gender in charge of culture, Peace Mutuuzo stirring the leadership conflicts in the INZU because she is favouring a group of her own choice”, Wagabyalire stressed.
On 14th July 2023, Mutuuzo, authored a letter, ostensibly to provide guidance for the “conflict resolution of the cultural leader of the Bugisu”, the letter is titled as such.
The minister was addressing Wilson Wamimbi Weasa, the UMUKUUKA emeritus, notifying him of a leadership conflict in a seemingly none existing cultural institution stated as BUIGISU CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
The letter would guide that; “the Bugisu cultural clan leaders could resolve the standoff in the Bugisu community”
This is the first red flag raised in the minister’s letter over the non-existence of a cultural institution, the minister stated as BUGISU CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
To add volume to the confusion, the minister further suggests that the process has to follow the guidelines in the gazetted constitution of the INZU YA BAMASAABA yet she had identified a crisis in BUGISU CULTURAL INSTITUTION. The two are practically and legally different entities.
John Wagabyalire accuses a one, John Defasi Wabuya of establishing of the Bugisu Cultural Institution that the minister is referring to.
“This man called Wabuya Defasi, he calls himself the chairman of the 26 clans. In our constitution we don’t have chairman of the clan, it is not there. This is the man who goes to confuse the minister.”
But, Wabuya dismisses the allegations as false, claiming that he cannot be the person making laws a lone.
“With that…I disassociate myself with it,” disclaimed Wabuya.
Whereas John Wabuya Defasi denies forming a parallel cultural institution and registering a new constitution, the NBS Investigates came across a letter addressed to the permanent secretary of the ministry of gender by the Bugisu twenty-six clan leaders on December 5, 2022.
The letter signed by Wabuya Defasi John as chairperson of the 26 clan leaders submits a constitution of the OMUKUUKA W’ OBUGISU, to the ministry and presents JUDE MIKE MUDOMA as the elected Omukuuka.
Wabuya insists he is not aware of the letter or any attempts to establish a corresponding cultural institution.
The controversial cultural institution in the minister’s letter has a constitution that contradicts the gazetted constitution of the INZU YA BAMASAABA.
Eddy Komoli elaborates that there is no general assembly in Bugisu Cultural Institution. it’s in the powers of the OMUKUUKA in Bugisu Cultural Institution to appoint every person. But when it comes to INZU YA BAMASAABA, there is specialization and it’s not the responsibility of the Umukuuka in the INZU. The only responsibility he has is to appoint the cabinet.
This constitutional dilemma appears to have been a crafted plan by a section MUDOMA promoters to have him gazetted as OMUKUUKA.
It is alleged that the ministry had declined to gazzatte MUDOMA over claims that the institution of the INZU YA BAMASAABA had been registered as a limited company by some individuals.
“We had only rectify the name from a company limited, …so here, we had to sit down and hurriedly do this, such that we had put on the GUGUUGA properly, and letter on try to make constitutional reforms and so on.” Wedaire admits the established of another entity he claims not to be a cultural institution.
Mathias Nabutele, a delegate in the National Assembly of the INZU YA BAMASABA, knows the details of the coming of a limited company to be associated with the INZU. “…there was a car given to the institution by the president in 2011 and there was no entity and they didn’t want to register it in anybody’s name. it is an assert of the institution. UNDER the guidance of the ministry of gender, they created that company. That’s is very far under the leadership of the first leader,” confirms the ousted Speaker of the General Assembly Nelson Wedaira.
By establishing Bugisu Cultural Institution, the MUDOMA promoters, knowingly or unknowingly created a parallel cultural institution, they are now trying to disown. Besides, the decision by the minister to offer guidance on how the conflict should be resolved was an illegality according to Lawyer Isaac Otim.
“According to the law, actually the government has no say in resolving the disputes, of traditional institutions. Simply because, the law gives two ways. One…these disputes can be resolved by the clan leaders, or leaders in a traditional sense. In the alternative, these issues can be taken to courts,” Otim counseled.
However, Minister Peace Mutuuzo, insists that she did the right thing and
“ready to appear before court” over the matter. The minister’s unapologetic stand that all that was legally there to be followed was followed, and a one JUDE MIKE MUDOMA, was eventually gazatted as UMUKKUUKHA III has now forced JOHN AMRAM WAGABYALIRE to challenge MPDOMA’s gazettement in court.
“The ministry has illegally gazatted as new cultural institution as the cultural leader of the old cultural institution. This happens within one week.” Lawyer for the applicant Alenyo George William, told NBS Television. Embattled John Amram Wagabyalire and his lawyers want the high court in Mbale to;
Find MIKE JUDE MUDOMA guilty of forging an order of court.
Create a ‘Bogus’ Cultural institution
Contempt of court
Issue an interim order against his gazettement.
Legally, under the institution of traditional or cultural leaders Act, 2011, cultural leaders are not supposed to engage in partisan politics. But practically, all the factions for the battle for OBUKUUKA appear to pay allegiance to the ruling NRM.
“Me I am free, I am ready to serve the sitting government” Wagabyalire noted as Mudoma confirms that many of them, who have been there have been politicians. The late Mushikoli was a UPC fanatic as the first one (Wilson Weasa Wamimbi) was an NRM cadre.
Political scholar Dr. Gerald Walulya puts forward that the direct influence of government in the affairs of cultural institutions was deliberately packaged with freebies and money as the state provides to the willing monarchies in Uganda.
“As a result, government assumed control over those kingdoms and chiefdoms arising out of its support towards these cultural institution” emphasized Walulya.
But according to minister Mutuuzo, the money and support to the ‘willing’ cultural leaders is an ‘honorarium’.
“But for only the Gazatted cultural institutions and those who wish. Buganda objected. So, we don’t give Buganda anything. Because the cultural institution did not wish to be part of that honoraria”, underscored Minister Mutuuzo.
The battle for OBUKUUKA remains a complex political puzzle that culturalists and politicians are struggling to solve. Is there an invisible hand of the state at play or a tactic of divide and rule? The battle for the OBUBUUKA now remains a matter of court to determine the future of an institution stuck in conflict, politics and the law.
