By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
The Umukhuka III, Jude Mike Mudoma has expressed strong dismay over the nature of Kakungulu’s legacy in the region, particularly concerning land ownership.
He asserted that Kakungulu’s greatest asset, the 20-square-mile estate in Bugisu, was not acquired through traditional customary negotiation, but was a prize granted by a foreign government after a “colonial war.”
The Umukhuka was addressing descendants and community stakeholders during the 97th anniversary commemoration of Semei Kakungulu’s death who gathered on Thursday 27th November 2025 at Kakungulu’s burial site in Mbale City.
“The greatest asset in this land… was a prize from the colonial government,” Umukhuka Mudoma stated, terming the entire affair as “unjust.”
He detailed how the colonial administration’s extension under Kakungulu’s authority led to the displacement of Bamasaaba people, the disruption of clan systems, and the sidelining of indigenous leadership.
Mudoma insisted that celebrating Kakungulu without acknowledging these losses of Bamasaaba is deeply incomplete and unfair.
He called on the Government and stakeholders to work towards fair solutions for families living on Kakungulu lands, including proper titling and education access.
Despite his challenge to the land acquisition, the Umukhuka lauded Kakungulu’s leadership in a movement that planted over 10 million indigenous trees, including Mvule and Mahogany, across Eastern and Northern Uganda a legacy he says continues to inspire climate action today.
Hon. James Magode Ikuya, the Minister of State for East African Affairs and the event’s guest of honour, praised the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) for its role in restoring the historical sites.
He expressed hope that such cultural work will promote unity and lead to greater interaction among cultural institutions across East Africa, thereby facilitating the use of the African language Swahili.
Dr. Shannon Kitayimbwa Kakungulu who addresses himself as the first grandson of Kakungulu announced immediate plans of restoring the historical site and transforming it into a vital heritage and environmental learning center as one way of protecting his father’s legacy.
Semei kakungulu settled in present day Mbale City Northern division hill in 1912 and died there on November 24, 1928.
