The Ambassador of the Umukuuka wa Bugisu cultural institution, Phillip Wanyonyi Wekesa….Photo/IP
MBALE, Uganda
The Ambassador of the Umukuuka wa Bugisu cultural institution, Phillip Wanyonyi Wekesa, has warned Kenyans claiming leadership roles in the Bamasaaba cultural structure to stop masquerading as officials and instead seek guidance from his office or that of Dr. Sylvester Wakoli Bifwoli, the leader of the Bukusu Cultural Institution and Deputy Prime Minister of the Bugisu Cultural Institution, Kenya chapter.
Wanyonyi said any Kenyan wishing to work with the Bugisu cultural institution should first seek official guidance through the two offices to avoid violating Ugandan laws governing traditional institutions.
He cautioned that individuals presenting themselves as leaders of “Inzu ya Bamasaaba,” a body not registered in Uganda as a cultural institution, risk legal consequences if they continue operating under unrecognized titles.
The warning comes as the Mbale High Court issued a restraining order against individuals falsely claiming leadership of the Bamasaaba cultural institution.
The order, issued by Justice Rania Naluyima, directs authorities to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the directive by presenting themselves as leaders of an unrecognized cultural institution in Uganda.
Officials say the only cultural institution legally recognized by the Ugandan government in the region is the office of the Umukuuka wa Bugisu,led by Umukuuka III Jude Mike Mudoma,the traditional leader of the Bagisu people.
Authorities warned that individuals who continue to operate under unrecognized institutions in defiance of the court order could face arrest for contempt of court.
Ugandan officials say the dispute largely centers on how cultural institutions are legally registered in the country.
Under the law, such institutions must be recognized based on regional names or areas of residence.
For example, the Buganda cultural institution operates within the Buganda region,Teso cultural institution in Ateso region while other communities maintain institutions tied to their respective regions.
The people commonly referred to as Bamasaaba live mainly in the Bugisu region in eastern Uganda near Mount Elgon, though legally they are recognized as the Bagisu.
Across the border in Kenya, their close relatives are known as the Bukusu.
The two communities share deep historical and cultural ties, including language, clan systems and traditional practices such as the Imbalu circumcision rite.
Oral traditions trace both communities to a common ancestor known as Masaaba, believed to be the patriarch of people living around the Mount Elgon region.
Community elders say colonial-era boundaries later divided the people into modern-day Kenya and Uganda, though cultural connections between the Bagisu and Bukusu communities remain strong.
Officials stressed that the dispute over naming and registration of cultural institutions in Uganda does not directly affect Kenyans collaborating culturally with their relatives across the border.
However, they warned that anyone falsely claiming leadership of an unregistered cultural institution within Uganda risks arrest and prosecution under the court order.
