Erstwhile legislator Ambassador Simon Mulongo…Photo/IP
MBALE, Uganda (IP)
The spokesperson of the Bugisu Cultural Institution,Mr Stephen Masiga has mounted a strong defense of the institution, deepening an ongoing public dispute over the legitimacy and role of the Umukuuka of Bugisu.
In the letter to Ambassador Simon Mulongo, he said that the office of Umukuuka is not a political authority, insisting that the institution exists primarily to preserve culture, unity and heritage among the Bamasaaba people.
“The Umukuuka is not a law or policy maker,” Masiga wrote, stressing that the cultural leader neither enacts laws nor directs government affairs.
He insisted that the institution operates within traditional customs and clan consensus rather than partisan political interests.
Masiga defended the recognition of Umukuuka of Bugisu III Sir Jude Mike Mudoma, saying the process followed constitutional procedures governing cultural institutions in Uganda.
He argued that there is no legal requirement for the kingship to rotate among clans unless the Bamasaaba community independently adopts such a system.
The Bugisu Cultural Institution spokesperson accused Ambassador Mulongo and other critics of fueling divisions within the Bamasaaba community through repeated attacks on the institution.
Masiga warned that prolonged disputes risk weakening cultural cohesion at a time when unity is needed most.
Ambassador Mulongo had said earlier that cultural institutions should embrace transparency, accountability and broader community participation.
The former legislator has argued that societies become vulnerable when institutions revolve around personalities instead of stable systems and structures.
He has also questioned whether the current Bugisu cultural leadership adequately reflects wider community consensus, arguing that legitimacy should emerge from inclusive engagement rather than decisions confined to a small group of influential actors.
Masiga dismissed those concerns, insisting that the 26 Bamasaaba clans had already endorsed the current leadership and that government recognition of the Umukuuka was lawful and constitutional.
He faulted Mulongo for having failed to use his legislative power in 1994 to effect the changes he is championing for at the moment.
The exchange has reignited long-standing debates within Bugisu region over tradition, leadership and identity.
It has exposed continous unhealthy tensions between defenders of established legal cultural structures and those calling for instant reforms in how traditional authority should be governed without due process.
