After almost three years of being like a headless chicken, the Inzu Ya Bamasaaba has finally got a new king!
Jude Mike Mudoma who has been at a terrible war with Wagabyalire over this throne, can now enjoy his sleep after government today finally ‘stamped’ in his claim and installed him as the 3rd king of this mountainous chiefdom.
At a colorful function that took place at Mutoto cultural grounds in Mbale City and presided over by the Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo who represented her boss Gen. Yoweri Museveni, the Bamasaaba have been asked to embrace the wealth creation campaign of the NRM.
Museveni through his forever bootyful VP, said this is the surest way for the men and women from the mountains to create jobs and eliminate poverty at the household level.
The General from Rwakitura said that his diagnosis of poverty in Uganda shows that, it is caused by the fact that 38% of the Ugandan households are still trapped in subsistence farming meaning they are working for their tummies only. “This is dangerous in the modern era where all goods and services needed to sustain life must be bought with money” the president through Alupo who is also Katakwi woman MP said.
He reiterated the NRM’s message, regarding the socio-economic transformation of Uganda where individuals, families, companies,
organisations among others can create jobs and wealth to guarantee their prosperity.
Museveni named the four sectors as commercial agriculture, services, industries and ICT.
He said government has put in place the necessary conditions to ensure the profitability good enterprises including good roads, electricity, peace and security; integration of the Ugandan
market to the regional, African and international markets; passing policies that favour the private sector among others.
The president however, said these economic advantages must be translated into jobs and wealth for the households in order for this development to be meaningful.
He explained that the Parish Development Model and the wealth funds are aimed at increasing the number of wealth creators engaged in production in the sectors of commercial agriculture,
industries, services and ICT.
“Therefore, I appeal to the leadership of the Bamasaaba Cultural Institution to mobilize the people of Bugisu region to embrace the wealth creation campaign, in order to build
strong and prosperous families” he counseled.
The president congratulated His Royal Highness Jude Mike Mudoma, upon his election and installation, as the Cultural Leader of the Inzu ya Masaaba and wished him a smooth road as he steers his people.
He said the NRM government recognizes the role of cultural institutions as the custodians of the African cultures, customs and languages, noting that it is not possible to develop culture
without involving the traditional institutions.
“The cultural leaders must, therefore, ensure that our African vernaculars and customs regarding marriage, etiquette among others are preserved” Jjajja Museveni observed.
The COVID-19 survivor Museveni, however, noted that whereas preserving culture is important, there are some cultural practices, that he said are regressive and therefore, need to be changed or adjusted because they infringe on human rights.
He cited some of the backward practices including Female Genital Mutilation, Cattle rustling, early marriages, wife and inheritance.
“The positive elements of our cultures must be preserved and the negative ones should be abandoned” he advised.
The head of state said his government restored cultural institutions in 1993 as a symbolic recognition of our ancestors’ attempts at setting up centralized administration, a pre-requisite for better organization of production and welfare of society.
He said in the Kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, as well as the chiefdoms of Busoga, the Kings and Chiefs had managed to unite scores of Clans under single administrations.
“It is therefore, important to commemorate the fact that our ancestors had attained this level of
development in terms of political integration” he noted.
Meanwhile, soft-spoken Alupo congratulated the Bamasaaba upon getting a cultural leader who is for everyone, and promised to table the kingdom’s requests to her boss Museveni. Among the requests included land, a meeting between Sevo and the Chief in addition to gracing the 2024 Imbalu launch.
Mudoma emphasized his commitment to work with everyone, adding that his first task will be to ensure there is real reconciliation among the different factions.
ABOUT THE INZU YA BAMASAABA
This institution came into existence in 2010 with Wilson Wamimbi being elected as the pioneer chief and later Bob Mushikori (RIP) whose reign ended in 2020. Since then, the chiefdom has been like a headless chicken although there were two claimants to the throne including Jude Mudoma and George Wagabyalire. The institution conducts rotational leadership among the three families of Wanale, Mubuya and Mwambu.
The function was also attended by Bamasaaba from Kenya.
