The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Some members of the Bugisu Parliamentary caucus have rejected proposals for fresh elections of the Bamasaba cultural leader.
This comes a few days after Manafwa District Woman Member of Parliament who also doubles as the Energy and Mineral Development Minister, Mary Goretti Kitutu told mourners that she had brought the wrangles in Inzu Ya Masaba to the attention of the president and suggested fresh polls for the Umukuka to end the dispute.
Currently, the Inzu Ya Masaba has two factions allied to Mike Jude Modoma and John Amuram Wagabyalile. Simon Wamakuyu Mudimi, the Chairperson of Bugisu parliamentary caucus who also doubles as the Elgon county MP in Bulambuli district, says that there is no need for fresh elections because everyone knows that Mudoma was validly elected Umukuka.
He says that the only thing the stakeholders including politicians and religious leaders should do is to brief the Gender, Labor and Culture Minister, Frank Tumwebaze about the election of the warring parties.
Vicente Waboya, the Secretary Bugisu parliamentary caucus and Budadiri East MP in Sironko district, says that Kitutu might have proposed fresh polls out of the ignorance on how one ascends to the office of the Umukuka. He says that the delays to gazette the cultural leader is costing the Bamasaba in terms of development because Inzu Ya Masaba cannot function properly.
According to Waboya, as the Bugisu Parliamentary Caucus, they have prepared a motion they intend to present to parliament next week to seek an explanation on the delayed gazetting of Mudoma as the Umukuka.
However, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP has since distanced himself from the caucus position, saying the dispute is political.
According to Nandala, Wabayalile has been painted as a sympathizer of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change-FDC while Mudoma is connected to the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM, which has fueled the dispute.
However, Geoffrey Wepondi, the prime minister in Inzu Ya Masaba under John Amuram Wanagabyalila has welcomed the minister’s proposal for fresh polls to resolve the ongoing confusion.
He says since the delegates who elected the two parallel leaders are still available there is no reason why Mudoma’s camp should be worried about fresh polls.
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