By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE
The Masaba cultural institution faction allied to John Amuram Wagabyalile has disowned Jude Mike Mudoma as their new cultural leader.
Last week on Thursday, clan chairpersons from 26 clans convened at Mbale district head offices located at Malukhu, industrial city division in Mbale city, and resolved that Mudoma is the rightfully elected cultural leader who should be gazetted as Umukuka III by government.
That meeting was convened on the directive of Peace Mutuuzo, the State Minister for Culture writing to Wamimbi Weyasa, the first Umukuka asking him to reconcile the two rival elected cultural leaders, Jude Mike Mudoma and John Amuram Wagabyalile.
Government wanted clan leaders from 26 clans to resolve by giving them one name out of the two such that government can gazette him.
While speaking to the media in a press conference at Masaba cultural institution offices on Sunday, 30th July, 2023, Andrew Wodero, the general secretary of Inzu yamasaba said that a cultural leader is elected by clan delegates but not chairpersons.
He argued further that the ministry addressed the letter to Bugisu cultural institution but not the Masaba cultural institution yet in Bugisu there is no Bugisu cultural institution by law.
Wodero says that as Inzu yamasaba, they are still pushing for the gazettement of John Amuram Wagabyalile who was elected legally by delegates of all 26 clans.
However, Nelson Wedayila from the faction of Mudoma also the speaker at Bugisu cultural institution says that they broke away from Masaba cultural institution in 2022 and formed Bugisu cultural institution after the late Bob Mushikori, the outgoing Umukuka connived with a few individuals and re-registered Masaba cultural institution to Masaba cultural company.
He says that the clan chairpersons choosing the new Umukuka was a directive from Minister Mutuzo urging them to go to court.
