MBALE CITY — Tensions have emerged within the Bugwere Cultural Institution after its leaders issued a 24-hour ultimatum to a New Vision reporter, demanding an immediate public apology and correction over what they describe as a false and misleading story that wrongly declared the end of the institution’s 13-year leadership dispute.
The controversy follows a September 9, 2026 online publication titled “Kintu Named Bagwere King as Court Mediation Ends 13-Year Dispute,” which reported that Mr. Mubala Kintu had been chosen as the new Ikumbania of Bugwere.
However, Bugwere cultural leaders have strongly rejected the report, insisting that the mediation process held at Mbale High Court did not conclusively install any cultural leader and that the publication distorted the resolutions reached during the court-guided negotiations.
Speaking during a press conference in Mbale City, the General Secretary and Chairman of the Bugwere Cultural Council, Mr. Tom Mbulamberi Itabangi described the publication as inaccurate and potentially harmful to the fragile reconciliation process aimed at ending more than a decade of leadership disagreements.
“The mediation did not crown or install anyone. The parties were given one month to continue consultations and engagements among themselves so that a peaceful and lasting solution can be reached without conflict,” Mbulamberi said.
The mediation, conducted under the Judiciary’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism and chaired by former Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, resolved that all parties should continue consultations on the leadership question before a final agreement is reached.
According to Mr. Mbulamberi Tom, the mediation further clarified disputes surrounding clan representation, with the court recognizing 78 clans as the legitimate clans of the institution and directing that any future changes be addressed through a constitutional review process.
He also noted that all pending court cases linked to the leadership dispute remain suspended until the final consent agreement is fully implemented.
The dispute involves six contenders for the position of Ikumbania: Mr. Mubbala Kintu Samuku Balaam, Mr. Kanku Francis, Mr. Musimami Joshua Wilber, Mr. Kasolo Eric, Mr. Ngobi Meddy, and Mr. Geoffrey Wayabire.
Mbulamberi explained that while five contenders had expressed support for a proposal allowing Kintu to serve a fixed five-year term, Geoffrey Wayabire maintained that the wider Bugwere community should be allowed to choose its cultural leader through a transparent vote.
“The spirit of the mediation was unity, dialogue and consensus. The process is still ongoing and no final decision has been reached,” he stressed.
Bugwere First Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Fred Kamugo accused the publication of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the mediation process.
“We are disappointed. You cannot publish false information and mislead the people who entrusted us to represent them during the mediation. Such reporting creates confusion and threatens the unity we are trying to build,” Kamugo said.
The cultural leaders have now demanded a public clarification, an apology within 24 hours, and an investigation into how the report was published. They argue that the article wrongly created the impression that the court had conclusively resolved the leadership question and installed a new cultural leader.
The leaders further warned that failure to retract the publication and identify those responsible for what they termed a deliberate misinformation scheme could result in legal action.
A Strong Call for Immediate Accountability
The Bugwere leadership says this is not merely about correcting a news article but protecting a delicate peace process that has taken years of dialogue, sacrifice and mediation to achieve.
They argue that inaccurate reporting on sensitive cultural matters can inflame tensions, mislead communities and reverse progress made toward reconciliation.
With the clock now ticking on the 24-hour ultimatum, the cultural leaders are calling on those responsible to act immediately, correct the record, apologise to the people of Bugwere, and uphold the principles of truth, professionalism and accountability before further damage is done.