Mable, Uganda – His Highness the Umukuka III, Jude Mike Mudoma, has instructed the spokesperson of the Inzu Ya Bamasaaba cultural institution, Hon. Steven Masiga, to ensure that every Umumasaba receives a copy of the Ugandan Constitution translated into the Lumasaba language.
Masiga told this platform that the cultural institution has already received over 500 copies of the Constitution, the Local Council Courts Act, and other legal texts translated into Lumasaba. He said the initiative aims to equip the community with legal knowledge, noting that “ignorance of the law is a common source of conflict.”
“In Uganda, we quote what the law says, not personal opinions,” Masiga said. “We want our people to know the legal provisions, especially those who can read and write. We have also invited students from various institutions so they can help teach others about these laws.”
Masiga emphasized key constitutional provisions relating to culture, including Article 37, which guarantees the right to belong to, practice, and enjoy one’s culture, and Article 246, which outlines the identification and election of cultural leaders, including the Umukuka, as well as the management of disputes within cultural institutions.
He appreciated the Government of Uganda and the Uganda Law Reform Commission for supporting the project, stating that the books delivered to the cultural institution are valued at over Shs 6 million on the open market.
On Saturday, the cultural institution held a public lecture at Courts View Hotel in Mbale City, opposite the High Court. The event attracted several stakeholders, including ministers from the cultural institution, clan chairpersons, and student leaders from the Islamic University in Uganda, Mbale School of Clinical Officers, School of Hygiene, and Nkoma SSS, among others under the Bamasaba clusters.
During the lecture, the Umukuka III directed that every Umumasaba aged 18 years and above, who is able to read and write, should receive a copy of the Constitution translated into Lumasaba, the Cultural Leaders Act, and other relevant statutes. He said the institution will work closely with partners such as the Uganda Law Reform Commission to make this possible.
Speakers and panelists included the Umukuka III himself, who discussed the negative effects of conflicts in communities and urged the government to empower cultural institutions to manage Alternative Justice Systems (AJS).
Spokesperson Steven Masiga highlighted the various schools of law, official sources of law, and urged participants—especially media practitioners—to always verify legal provisions before publishing information.
The Dean of the Faculty of Law at Lira University, Dr. Adeyemo, spoke about the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in conflict management and the different forms of mediation.
Participants requested the cultural institution to extend such trainings to communities, especially within clan structures.
The public lecture was held under the theme:
“The Relationship Between Citizens and the Law: Law as a Panacea to Community Conflicts.”
The discussions reaffirmed that the law plays a central role in resolving community conflicts, with Article 126(1)(e) of the Constitution recognizing both AJS and ADR as legitimate tools for justice.
