The Bugisu cultural leader, Umukuuka III Jude Mike Mudoma returned from a significant diplomatic mission to Washington DC, where he attended the inauguration celebrations of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and also secured important development partnerships for the Bugisu region.
On his visit to the United States, Umukuuka traveled with Nabagyelema Annet (the Umukuuka’s spouse) and two of his cultural ministers; Pastor Phillip Charo, who is responsible for Inter-Faith Matters, and Vincent Waboya, who handles Disaster Management in the kingdom.
The 10-day visit was a result of the special invitation from Dr Mark Burns, a renowned televangelist and Chair of the Multicultural Inaugural Ball’s Organizing Committee.
At his return on Wednesday 29th January, Umukuuka Mudoma was received by the Bugisu delegation led by Prime Minister Dr Paul Mwambu, Deputy Prime Minister North and Minister for Science, innovation and Technology Development Dr Clet Wandui Masiga, Deputy Prime Minister for Planning Dr Kosea Wambaka, the Attorney General Richard Masereje, and Andrew Masaba the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning among others.
In his speech at Entebbe airport, the Bugisu cultural leader highlighted that the severe weather conditions, with temperatures as low as -8 degrees centigrade, necessitated the relocation of the swearing-in ceremony to the Capitol Hill Rotunda, where they participated in numerous inaugural activities across the greater Washington DC area, including the Multicultural Inaugural Ball at the Washington Times Building Arbor Ballroom.
“I am pleased to announce that our visit has yielded concrete commitments for investment in Bugisu. Starting February 2025, we will be receiving delegations of investors interested in developing several key sectors; Coffee Production and Trade, where we aim to enhance both the quality and quantity of our exports, Tourism Development, showcasing our region’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Mining and Mineral Exploration, focusing on sustainable resource developmentManufacturing and Industrialization to drive economic growth, Education and Technology Innovation, fostering skills development, Health and Pharmaceuticals infrastructure development, Affordable housing projects for our communities, Environmental sustainability and disaster mitigation strategies,” he said.
Umukuuka Mudoma, therefore, appreciated Ambassador Robinah Kakoonge for her diplomatic support during their courtesy call at the Ugandan embassy in Washington DC, Laban and Paul Mukalanzi of Gro Foundation, who facilitated the trip and all Bamasaba in the USA, who made time to engage with them while in Washington DC.
“In the coming weeks, my office will be coordinating with various stakeholders to prepare for the arrival of these investor delegations. We look forward to working together to realize these opportunities for the benefit of our people,” Umukuuka III Jude Mike Mudoma concludedd.
According to Nabagyelema Annet, the Umukuuka’s spouse, it was a very productive trip that will yield fruits in future, including investments in the Eastern region, and scholarships for children among others.
About the Bamasaba
The Gisu people, or Bamasaba people of Elgon, are a Bantu tribe and Bantu-speaking ethnic group of the Masaba people in eastern Uganda, closely related to the Bukusu people of Kenya. Bamasaba lives mainly in the Mbale District of Uganda on the slopes of Mount Elgon. The Bagisu are estimated to be about 1,646,904 people, making up 4.9% of the total population, according to the 2014 National Census of Uganda.
The majority of the Bagisu people are Christians, mainly Anglican (Church of Uganda), estimated at 45.7%, while a significant percentage are Roman Catholic, estimated at 29.1%. Around 14% of the Bagisu people follow Islam, according to the 2002 Census of Uganda, and 5.3% are Pentecostal.
The Masaba, Bukusu and Luhya people believed that their ancestors were Mundu and Sera. The Bamasaba ancestor, Masaba, migrated from the Ethiopian Mountains, travelling via Lake Turkana to Sironko and settled around Bududa, where he fell in love with a Maasai girl who was known as Nabarwa. The family of Nabarwa demanded that for Masaba to marry their daughter he had to undergo their rite of circumcision. He agreed to do so.
The culture of circumcision was adopted by the Bamasaba from their in-laws the Maasai people. The men in the Bagisu tribe undergo initiation ceremonies known as Imbalu which are held every two years during August.
Banana is the staple food for the Gisu people which is commonly referred to as “Matoke”. The Bamasaba ancestors lived on bamboo shoots also known as Malewa in the Lumasaba language. These bamboo shoots are collected from bamboo trees on top of Mt. Elgon.
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