The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bagisu from Kenya have expressed disappointment with the Ugandan government for kicking them out of the Masaaba cultural Affairs.
Recently, the reconciliation meeting that was summoned by the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development Frank Tumwebaze ruled the Kenyans out from participating in decision making affairs of the Inzu Ya Masaaba.
The meeting was called to resolve the impasse between the two warrying factions of John Amram Wagabyalire and Jude Mike Mudoma who both claim headship of the Masaaba cultural throne.
The meeting nullified all the resolutions that were taken by both sides including the Kenya Mabanga resolution which sacked some officials from the institution and reinstated them.
The government position is that foreigners cannot participate in governance issues of the country. This bars the Bamasaaba from Kenya from participating in a decision making of the Inzu Ya Masaaba which the Kenyans are now protesting.
Omal Njofu, the Wagabyalire-inclined Chairperson of the Bamasaaba Cultural Council who hails from Kenya noted that the decision by the Minister Tumwebaze was unfair and uncalled for because all of them are Bagisu.
Njofu who was talking during a consultative meeting of the Inzu Ya Masaaba on the way forward on the leadership of the institution on Monday at the Institution’s headquarters in Mbale City said that the Bagisu in Kenya are writing a petition against the decision by the Minister and that the petition will be presented on Tuesday.
He added that the Bamasaba in Kenya were amongst the key players who spearheaded the creation of the Inzu ya Masaba and said it is either permanently eliminated or the Kenyan side takes part in the decision making of the key issues in Bamasaba cultural institution.
He wonders why the Kenyan Bamasaaba are being sidelined now yet they have been part of the institution since its inception in 2010 adding that the Bagisu Kenyan Chapter have instructed their lawyers to write a petition against the government decision to bar them from participating the cultural affairs.
Canon Andrew Nyote, one of the promoters of the institution wonders why their brothers in Kenya are being sidelined yet they the people there migrated from Kenya.
He also supported Njofu’s decision to sue the government on that matter saying that the Kenyan people originated from Uganda.
Amram Wagabyalire, one of the claimants of the Bamasaaba throne said that the government’s decision to bar Kenyans from Inzu Ya Masaaba activities is influenced by his rivals of the Jude Mike Mudoma faction. According to him, the Mudoma faction fear the Kenyans because they are key during elections and they support him.
Wagabyalire also dismissed the Kampala resolutions of holding fresh elections. He said that he only accepted to be part of the resolution because he had run out of time and he wanted to travel back to Mbale.
The two factions have both turned a deaf ear to the resolution of holding fresh elections. The Mudoma faction last Friday held a Mwambu clan meeting which declared him the Umukuka and recommended his gazetment while the Mudoma faction has also recommended him as the new Umukuka.
The throne of the Inzu Ya Masaba leadership fell vacant at the expiry of the term of office of the former Umukuka Bob Mushikor who passed on at the beginning of this year.
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