The government has gazzetted Mr Jude Mike Mudoma as the third Umukhukha of Bamasaba Cultural Institution, Inzu Ya Masaaba after about three years of leadership wrangles in the institution.
The Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development made the gazette on August 4 in line with Section 6 of the Cultural Leaders Act 2011.
This comes after a meeting of 26 clan leaders that was convened by the Umukhukha Emeritus, Wilson Wamimbi Weasa on the directives of the Minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs, Ms Peace Mutuuzo. The meeting resolved and chose Mr Mudoma as the rightful cultural head.
Earlier, a declaration notice seen by Monitor dated August 1, 2023, signed by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Betty Amongi Ongom stated;
“I hereby cause the cultural leader listed below to be published and gazzetted in the Uganda Gazette,” the notice, which names Jude Mike Mudoma as the cultural leader of Inzu Ya Masaaba reads in part.
In another letter, also dated 1st August 2023, signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Mr Aggrey David Kibenge, addressed to the Executive Director of Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation, Mr Mudoma’s name was submitted for gazetting.
“The purpose of this letter is, therefore, to submit Mr Jude Mike Mudoma for publication in the National Gazette as the Umukhukha III We Masaaba / Cultural leader of Inzu Ya Masaaba Cultural Institution,” the letter read in part.
Mr Frank Mugabi, the communication officer of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, said;
“The documents are authentic and the gazettement follows a process that was undertaken by clan heads and the communication came through to the ministry on the resolution.”
The institution, which came into existence in 2010 had been threatened by leadership wrangles that worsened with the death of Mr Bob Mushikori, who was Umukhukha II.
After his death in 2021, two search committees for the new Umukhukha were instituted by parallel factions, resulting in the election of two rival cultural heads, Mr Mudoma and Mr John Imran Wagabyalire.