A group of Bamasaba, also known as Bagisu, have petitioned the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development to revoke Jude Mike Mudoma’s official status as the Umukhukha.
The petition, spearheaded by Omar and signed by ten members of the Cultural and Governing Council of Inzu ya Masaba, calls for Mudoma’s de-gazettement. The petitioners accuse him of establishing an alien institution within their recognized cultural framework.
“As custodians of Inzu ya Masaba, we are firmly convinced that Mr. Mudoma and his team of unauthorized officials have hijacked the gazetted Inzu ya Masaba,” the petition states. The undersigned emphasize that they are duly elected and approved custodians, registered with the Ministry.
The petition further alleges that Mudoma has imposed his own institution, referred to as the Institution of Uwegoolosi Umukhukha III we Bamasaba, as reflected in his official documents. According to the petitioners, this institution is fundamentally different from Inzu ya Masaba.
They also highlight that, despite a year of waiting and numerous unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation, Mudoma’s behavior has not improved. He is accused of persistently disregarding, abusing, dishonoring, and ridiculing the constitution of Inzu ya Masaba, under which he was appointed.
“We therefore strongly request that you withdraw your gazetting…so that the Bamasaba can regain control of their cultural institution and run it in accordance with its constitution as was during the reign of the first two bakuuka,” the petitioners add.
Background
Mudoma was gazetted as Umukhukha in August 2023 after a three-year struggle among Bamasaba leaders to select their next leader. Inzu ya Masaba, established in 2010, serves as a cultural preservation and promotion entity for the Bamasaba people. Representing 26 clans in the Bugisu sub-region, its leadership rotates among the three traditional households of Masaaba’s sons, in accordance with its constitution.
However, some Bamasaba perceive the institution as a government construct rather than a genuine traditional entity. Historically, despite their significant cultural impact beyond their borders, the Bamasaba, or Bagisu, have not had a centralized cultural authority.
