Umukuuka III meeting security officers at Malukhu in Mbale,Uganda.
By IP reporter,Uganda.
MBALE, Uganda — His Highness the Umukuka III of the Bamasaaba people, Jude Mike Mudoma, on Wednesday held a high-profile meeting at the Maluku Cultural Offices aimed at deepening cultural understanding and strengthening dialogue across the Bugisu region.
During the meeting, which brought together newly deployed regional security officers and key stakeholders, the Umukuka took his guests through the historical and legal background of the Bamasaaba cultural institution.
He reflected on longstanding identity-related tensions—especially the debate over whether the community is officially referred to as Bamasaaba or Bagisu.
“From the era of Umuyinga I in the 1960s to Umukuka I and II, there have always been conflicts around our cultural identity,” he said. “Unfortunately, no meaningful legislative action has been taken in Parliament to address or clarify this matter.”
His Highness made it clear that as a cultural leader, his role is not to make laws but to operate within the law as laid down by the Government of Uganda.
“Cultural institutions are legally and technically restrained from exercising executive or administrative authority,” he said.
“We are not lawmakers, but law followers. If I had the power to make laws, I would follow the will of my people. But since I do not, I abide by the Constitution.”
Umukuka Mudoma also took time to educate his guests on legal provisions affecting cultural identity, particularly a corrigendum issued by the Ministry of Gender in consultation with the Attorney General.
The legal adjustment aimed to align cultural designations across the country with Article 10(a) and the Third Schedule of the Ugandan Constitution.
He explained that as a result of this correction, the Bagisu people—formerly referred to in some quarters as Bamasaaba—were formally designated in accordance with national legal statutes.
“The Government guided that we be recognized as Bagisu, in line with Article 10 and related constitutional provisions,” he said. “The corrigendum affected several traditional and cultural institutions nationwide, including ours.”
He reminded attendees that even the first cultural leader of Bugisu was officially gazetted as the Umuyinga (Umukuka) of Bugisu under the law.
Section 2 of Uganda’s pre-independence constitution had placed Bugisu among the country’s recognized traditional territories alongside regions like Buganda, Toro, and Acholi.
His Highness said he extended the invitation to regional security officials deliberately, as many of them are newly posted and need accurate cultural context.
“They serve my people, on my land,” he said. “They must understand the history, identity, and governance of this community—and it is my responsibility to share that knowledge.”
Security officials in attendance included:
Regional Police Commander (RPC), Elgon Region
Deputy RPC
Regional Head of Criminal Investigations
Resident City Security Officer
Other guests included:
Mr. Wakhweya, lecturer at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU)
Mr. Tingu
Mr. Namusoso Kenneth
Cabinet ministers of the Bugisu Cultural Institution were present as well, including Hon. Samuel Kuloba and Hon. Rev. Titus Kutosi.
His Highness emphasized the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes and advancing community unity.
“Dialogue is a constitutional value under Article 126(2)(d) and is the cornerstone of reconciliation,” he said. “As a cultural institution, we believe dialogue is the panacea for any perceived or real conflict.”
He closed by thanking all participants for attending and wished them safe journeys back to their respective stations.
Ends.
