By Wetondo Denis Julius
MABLE CITY
A leader of one of the factions claiming to be the legitimately elected Cultural Leader of Inzu Ya Masaaba has said the Minister of Gender, Labour and Culture’s latest communication is misplaced.
Speaking yesterday 11th April 12, 2021 at an emergency Cultural General Assembly held at Mbale district Lukhobo Hall, Jude Mike Mudoma said there are no factions in the race to replace the late Bob Mushikori as alleged by Minister Frank Tumwebaze.
In a letter dated 6th April 2021 and addressed to both Amram John Wegabyalire and Jude Mike Mudoma, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Frank Tumwebaze made it clear that without consensus none of the two will be gazzetted.
“In view of the continued conflict and disagreement on the legitimate Cultural Leader of Inzu Ya Masaba, I will not publish in the National Gazzette as required by law any person as the cultural leader of Inzu Ya Masaba until you provide documentary evidence that both of you have built consensus on who should be the Cultural Leader,” Tumwebaze wrote.
The Minister consequently advised the two factions to exhaust all avenues of dispute resolution as provided for in the Traditional/ Cultural Leaders Act of 2011 if they fail to build consensus.
But in his communication yesterday, Mudoma asserted that there are no factions at Masaba Cultural Institution except that the Minister must have been misinformed by people looking for their own interests.
Mudoma argues that delegates legitimately elected him as the new cultural leader to succeed the late Bob Mushikori.
“It is just a small group of some Masaba cultural leaders who brought Amuram Wagabyalire claiming that he is the truly elected new cultural leader with the aim of dividing Bamasaba and creating confusion which has delayed the gazetement,” Mudoma said.
Nelson Wedayila, the Speaker of Masaba Cultural Institution echoed Mudoma’s sentiments saying the new general assembly is going to write to Minister Tumwebaze next week clarifying to him that Mudoma is the legitimate new Masaba Cultural Leader Elect.
He added that their communication will end the current conflicts and confusion at Masaba Cultural Institution.
Meanwhile Masaba Cultural General Assembly has granted its self an extension of six months running up to October. The current term of office will come to an end on 15th this month, April 2021.
The General Assembly consists of 49 delegates from different sub clans at Masaba land.
While speaking at the Emergency General Assembly, James Tumwa Kangala, the General Secretary of Masaba Cultural Institution says that the five year term of delegates is supposed to end on 15th this month.
He said that currently they don’t have a recognized cultural leader implying that it was going to be meaningless to dissolve the current General Assembly or elect new ones because it will create a vacuum.
Richard Wambende, the Publicity Secretary of Masaba cultural institution also a delegate from Buyobo clan expressed his happiness with the extension.
He said that in the extension, they have properly followed the constitution of Masaba cultural institution which states that when there is a problem like not having a cultural leader, they can extend term of office of delegates.
Wambende also revealed that Mike Mudoma will continue doing his official work at Masaba cultural institution as the cultural leader as they wait for his gazzettement.
He argued that previous cultural leaders also operated for over two years before government gazzetted them.
