By our reporter in Mbale City
Hon. Emmanuel Mutanje says he intends to engage the Government on promoting entrepreneurial skills among Bamasaba youth. He made this statement during a fundraising dinner where he contributed towards the purchase of the Inzu ya Masaba radio station.
Hon. Emmanuel Mutanje contributed a total of UGX 10,000,000 (ten million shillings) towards the purchase of the Inzuyamasaba radio station. He contributed UGX 5 million during the first fundraising in Mt. Elgon late last year and another UGX 5 million on Friday.
This was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Inzuyamasaba, Mr. Steven Masiga, who told the Ankole Times that Hon. Mutanje, the newly elevated Minister for Investments and Entrepreneurship Development in the Bamasaba Kingdom, has contributed ten million shillings to the establishment of the radio station within the cultural institution.
Masiga says the issue of acquiring a radio station is in line with the vision of the Cultural Leader, His Highness Jude Mike Mudoma, and it is a signature project that will help the Bamasaba cultural leaders to educate the young on the customs and traditional practices of the Bamasaba people.
The fundraising drive to procure the institutional radio station took place at Mbale Resort Hotel on Friday, 27th December and was attended by notable Bamasaba based both in Uganda and the diaspora. Among them included Her Lordship Catherine Khakasa Bamugemeirire, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda; Hon. Michael Materesi, the United Kingdom President of the Bamasaba Association (IMKA); Hon. Professor Florence Wakoko, Inzu ya Masaba Ambassador to Canada and the United States of America and Associate Professor at Columbus State University, who addressed the audience via Zoom from the United States of America; Members of Parliament were present, represented by their caucus chairperson, Hon. Wanda; the Kenyan Bamasaba; Chief Administrative Officers of various Districts like Wakiso, Rukungiri, Kyotera, Mayuge, and Namisindwa; and other outstanding Bamasaba were fully in attendance.
In a recent mini-cabinet reshuffle, the Umukuka III also elevated Hon. Emmanuel Mutanje from the docket of Commissioner Inzuyamasaba to now full Minister in charge of Investments and Entrepreneurship Development to serve the Bamasaba both of Uganda, Kenya, and the diaspora.
Hon. Mutanje formerly worked as a political assistant to the late James Wapakhabulo.
James Wapakhabulo was Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament and Foreign Affairs Minister.
Hon. Emmanuel Mutanje owns a series of businesses in Kampala, Mbale, and outside Uganda. He hails from Bududa.
He has turned down several requests to represent his people as their Member of Parliament in the National Parliament of Uganda.
As a young man in the National Resistance Movement political circles, Emmanuel Mutanje helped to propel Wapakhabulo politically around Bugisu and beyond, especially by mobilizing fellow youths in the late 90s and early 2000s to support Wapakhabulo’s bid as Member of Parliament for Mbale Municipal Council.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Islamic University in Uganda and a Master’s degree.
Hon. Mutanje also holds an honorary doctorate.
The spokesperson of the Inzuyamasaba, Mr. Steven Masiga, says about UGX 1 billion shillings is needed, and so far about UGX 100 million shillings has been raised in both cash and pledges.
Hon. Mutanje says the radio station will be used to promote both the cultural institution’s programs as well as Government programs in Masabaland and beyond and says by next year, the radio station should be on the airwaves of Masabaland.
