Cultural leaders from Eastern Uganda under the Uganda Kings and cultural leader’s forum have unanimously asked the government through the Gender, Labor, and Social Development Minister to gazette John Amram Wagabyalire the cultural leader of Inzu Ya Masaba Cultural Institution.
The other leaders include; Moses Stephen, the Adhola cultural institution, and Philip Wanyama from the Samia Bugwe cultural institution.
The call came following reconciliation meetings chaired by Sabaluli Nzozi Mwogezi Butamanya, the chairperson of the Uganda Kings and Cultural Leader’s Forum and the leader of Bululi chiefdom in an attempt to diffuse the dispute in Inzu Ya Masaba Cultural Institution.
The dispute pits Wagabyalire against Mike Mudoma with each claiming to be the legitimate head of the Bamasaba Cultural Institution. Numerous efforts to end the dispute have not yielded results.
In a press statement, Erick Mukhwana, the public relations officer of Inzu Ya Masaba said Sabaluli invited the warring parties for mediation to end the dispute and zero in on one leader.
He noted that their forum had resolved to recommend to the government to gazette Wagabyalire as the cultural leader of the Bamasaba, saying they put their recommendation in writing based on their findings from the ground.
Geoffrey Wepondi, the prime Minister of the Bamasaba cultural institution has asked the government to consider the recommendation by the cultural leaders to gazette Wagabyalire as the cultural leader of the Bamasaba.
However, Nelson Wedayila, one of the allies of Mike Mudoma has described the engagement as a failed reconciliation since one party didn’t come.
He explains that they deliberately shunned the meeting since they are not a party to the Uganda kings and cultural leader’s forum and they informed the Sabaluli of their position in writing.