By James Kangala
Greetings to you all.
I would like to add my view to the many already expressed concerning the impasse of Umukuuka III we Bamasaaba. Reference is that the matter has to be handled by Bamasaaba Elders. The current identified Elders to handle the impasse are the LC V Chairpersons and the Chairpersons of the 26 Clans.
In this document I make an attempt to spell out the roles of these Elders and how they can make their input without getting out of their specified mandates.
- The LC V Chairpersons’ tenure of office is limited by the five-year term of the Parliament of Uganda. The elections of the two contenders for the seat of Umukuuka III we Bamasaaba took place in 2020 and the LC Vs of the time played their part and their inputs are on record. The record should guide the current LC Vs of today so that another war front of contradictions is not opened within the LC Vs Camp.
- The Clans and Clan Leadership were before Inzu, are during Inzu, and will be if Inzu ceases to be. But now we are considering them under the Inzu dispensation. Whereas there are sentiments that the Clan Chairpersons do not expire, under Inzu Ya Masaaba, the Clan Chairpersons and their Councils expire with the term of office of the Inzu General Assembly.
During the last six months of the five-year term of the General Assembly, election process of new Delegates begins from the elections at the grassroots:
- It begins with the elections of the seven-member Executive Committees at the Sept levels (Clan Council I). The seven include: the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Publicity Secretary, and two members. The seven include the Women and Youth representatives.
- The 7 Clan Council I Executive Committee members in the Sub-Clan form the Sub-Clan Council (Clan Council II) from which 7 Clan Council II Executive Committee members are elected by the Clan Council II members themselves.
- The 7 Clan Council II Executive Committee members in the Clan form the Clan Council (Clan Council III). The Clan Council III elects from among themselves the 7-member Executive Committee. The same Clan Council III elects their Delegate to the Inzu General Assembly whose tenure of office is five years.
This explains how and why the current 26 Clan Chairmen and their Delegates to the 2nd General Assembly are in the same boat. Their term of office ended on 15th October 2020.
The mandates:
- The LC Vs are committed by the Uganda Culture Policy to facilitate the Culture Function in their localities in areas of: human, financial and other needed resources needed to the Cultural Function. In our case, this is done under Inzu Constitution.
- The Clan Councils fully mandate their Delegates to Inzu General Assembly to deliberate and resolve on Bamasaaba issues while keeping in mind that their deliberations and resolutions emanate from the Clan Councils’ desires, deliberations and resolutions. This is why Art. 5.1.5 of Inzu Constitution states that the General Assembly has the final say on any issue brought up concerning Bamasaaba.
Therefore, the crucial role of the LC V Chairpersons and the 26 Clans Chairmen is to task the 2nd General Assembly to explain to them why and how two Elders came up to claim the one seat of Umukuuka we Bamasaaba. After assessing / evaluating / auditing / scrutinizing the 2nd General Assembly submissions according to our cultural norms, values and practices. Then they can objectively make recommendations to the relevant authority/ies for consideration and implementation.
From this long explanation, I conclude that the LC V Chairpersons and the 26 Clan Chairmen are not free to resolve anything and not free to recommend anything contrary to the legitimate actions of the 2nd General Assembly and Inzu Constitution.
I end my submission which is subject to cross-examination and further discussion/s.
I remain,
James K. Kangala Tuumwa
(Promoter and SG Inzu Ya Masaaba)
