MBALE, Uganda — The spokesperson of the Bamasaaba cultural institution, Steven Masiga, has told this publication that, as a cultural institution, they are planning to engage the NUP presidential candidate over the use of Bamasaaba traditional drums in his voter mobilization campaigns.
Masiga said it is common knowledge that the beats and rhythms used in NUP campaigns are purely Bamasaaba melodies.
“We recently registered Imbalu and some of these drums as both intangible and tangible cultural products. As a cultural institution and as the Bamasaaba community, we are entitled to protect these drums, and no one should think they are just lying fallow. We are custodians of our heritage, and we must protect what belongs to us,” Masiga stated.
He added that they are considering charging a fee to anyone found using their drums and Kadodi style without the permission of the custodians of Bamasaaba culture.
“Each community in Uganda controls and enjoys certain heritages, customs, and mores — and so do the Bagisu people,” he emphasized.
The spokesperson further noted, “We have seen several politicians from different political shades using our cultural instruments without permission. Let this stop. Just as a sign of respect to our cultural institution, we request them to seek permission and, where necessary, accept the conditions we shall put forward.”
“In Uganda, each tribe has certain practices that cannot just be taken over by others. It is not in dispute that Kadodi and the attendant beats are known to belong to the Bamasaaba. In this country, it is the Bamasaaba who use drums for celebrations. Many compatriots elsewhere use drums merely to invite people to meetings and that is all. We go an extra mile as a community and have used these drums for over 500 years,” he said.
