By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
The Bugisu cultural institution has intensified internal preparations for the upcoming Imbalu Circumcision Ceremony, with leaders confirming plans to host high-profile regional and international guests ahead of the official launch in August 2026.
Speaking to our reporter on Thursday, Stephen Masiga, the spokesperson for the cultural institution, confirmed that the official opening ceremony is scheduled for August 1, 2026, at the historic Mutoto cultural grounds.
According to Masiga, the institution has extended invitations to various regional leaders who have expressed interest in attending.
“We are doing internal preparations and we are going to have several heads of state, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto of Kenya will be coming, and we have invited His Majesty King Mswati III of Swaziland.”
Other notable invitees include the President of Uganda, the Speaker of the Kenyan Parliament, Rt. Hon. Moses Wetangula, and various traditional leaders from across the continent, including kings from Nigeria.
A major focus of this year’s preparations, he said, is the training and certification of traditional surgeons who carry out the circumcision rituals. According to Masiga, more than 2,000 surgeons will undergo formal training, screening, and registration to ensure safety and professionalism during the ceremony.
“The people who are going to start this exercise will be people who have been tested for HIV, trained, and given certificates,” Masiga emphasized. “Without that, it will be very difficult for you to practice Imbalu.”
The institution also issued a stern warning against “masqueraders” attempting to engage in “premature” circumcision before the official August launch.
“It is an insult on cultural guidance for someone to conduct circumcision before the official opening,” he said. He cautioned that those using unauthorized, untrained surgeons risk permanent injury. “If they cut the chop of your manhood, don’t come to us, because you are disrespecting our guidance.”
