Imbalu team struggles to pay service providers

The cultural committee instituted by the government to run this year’s circumcision (Imbalu) ceremony has revealed that they are struggling to clear debts with people hired to provide services during the festivities.

The Imbalu festivities were held at the Mutoto Cultural Ground in Mbale City on August 13. 
However, in an interview with Daily Monitor on Tuesday, Mr Godwin Mubuya, the chairperson of the committee, said some service providers are yet to be paid because the committee lacks money.

The service providers include suppliers of cows, cement, labour works, and casual workers. 
Mr Mubuya said they had a budget of Shs760 million, which money was to be mobilised from well-wishers but what they collected was not enough. 

He said Dr Mary Goretti Kitutu, the Manafwa District Woman MP and Minister for Karamoja Affairs, contributed Shs40 million.

“Ms Kitutu gave us a big boost to run the function,” Mr Mbuya said.

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Other contributors were Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the chairperson of Bugisu Cooperative Union and Budadari West MP (Shs7 million), and local governments such as Namisindwa District (Shs3 million), Mbale City (Shs1 million), Sironko District (Shs3 million), Manafwa City (Shs1 million), Bududa (Shs2.5 million) and Mbale District (Shs3 million).

The area MPs under the Bugisu Parliamentary Caucus contributed Shs4.5 million, the Mbale Resident City Commissioner, Mr Ahamada Washaki, contributed Shs200,000 and the Uganda Wildlife Authority donated Shs1 million, among others.

“What people should know is that we have not received money from the government as some are alleging,” Mr Mubuya said. 

The area MPs also contributed varying amounts of money towards the construction of huts belonging to the respective families of Mwambu, Mubuya and Wanale, who are said to be the children of the founder of the Bamasaba culture. 

Mr Trimlet Muweleza, the vice chairperson of the welfare committee for Imbalu, said Ms Kitutu assured them that the government would make a contribution to the festivities but this did not happen. 
Efforts to get a comment from Ms Kitutu on the matter were futile as she did not answer our repeated calls and messages. 

However, Mr Juma Masaba, an opinion leader, said the committee should provide accountability for what they did during the festivities so that they know how much is still needed to clear the debts.

Mr Emma Bwayo, the former deputy minister of youth in charge of cooperatives, said: “There is a need for an evaluation meeting that will give birth to a satisfactory accountability report, which will be owned by everyone.”

But Mr Mubuya said the committee will provide a detailed accountability report today. 
Mr James Kangala, who claims to be the legitimate secretary general of Inzu Ya Masaba, said the committee lacked the expertise to handle the ceremony. 

Background

The Imbalu committee was instituted after the factions within the Bamasaba Cultural institution failed to agree on who should organise this year’s festivities in absence of a legitimate Umukhuka (leader) of Bamasaba Cultural Institution.