Bamasaaba Diaspora Demands Immediate Leadership Overhaul: “Mudoma’s Term Ends Now” as Inzu Ya Masaaba Takes Full Control

In a strongly worded official declaration that is already circulating widely among Bamasaaba communities at home and abroad, the Inzu Ya Masaaba (IYM) Diaspora Team has drawn a firm line in the sand over the future of cultural leadership in Bugisu.

Issued by Professor Peter Tsebeni Simbi, PhD — Elder of the Buwambwa Clan and one of the Diaspora Team Leaders — the statement represents the unified position of Bamasaaba living in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa. It calls for an immediate and complete transition from the now-defunct Buguuga Bwa Bugisu to the restored and “sacrosanct” Inzu Ya Masaaba.

The Core Argument: Rotational Leadership Cannot Be Ignored

At the heart of the message is a blunt rejection of any attempt by the current Umukuuka, Mudoma, to serve out a full term under the old structure.

“It is illogical to allow Mudoma to complete a full term as Umukuuka when Buguuga Bwa Bugisu is now defunct,” the statement declares. Inzu Ya Masaaba, it stresses, operates on two non-negotiable principles: rotational leadership among the clans and a strict five-year term limit. Allowing the previous arrangement to continue, the diaspora leaders argue, would undermine the very foundation of the restored cultural institution.

Strict Neutrality Demanded for Transition Committee

The statement sets out clear conditions for the composition of any transition committee:

Known epicenter supporters of Mudoma — specifically named as Masereje, Masiga and Florence Wakoko — must be excluded to eliminate conflicts of interest and guarantee neutrality.

Diaspora representatives from the USA, Canada, the UK and South Africa must be included. The statement credits these communities with playing a significant role in facilitating government arbitration and successful mediation that helped bring the current transition process into being.

All appointments must be made exclusively through recognised clan councils using traditional clan processes. Political appointments are expressly rejected.

Final Affirmation: Transition Starts Now

The diaspora team ends with an unambiguous call to action:

“The transition shall proceed immediately under IYM authority, respecting rotational leadership, five-year term limit, [and] clan-led governance.”

The document is formally signed by Professor Peter Tsebeni Simbi and carries the official closing: “Wanyala Naabi! Imbale Yaasaba! Official Document.”

Why This Matters

The Bamasaaba cultural institution has long been a source of pride and identity for the people of Bugisu. The shift from Buguuga Bwa Bugisu to Inzu Ya Masaaba is widely regarded as a return to deeper traditional values and more inclusive, clan-based leadership. By speaking with one voice across four major diaspora countries, the IYM Diaspora Team has signalled that the communities living abroad are no longer content to watch from the sidelines.

Their message is clear: the era of Buguuga Bwa Bugisu is over. Inzu Ya Masaaba is the future — and the transition must begin without delay, free from factional influence, and firmly rooted in the rotational and time-limited leadership principles that the institution itself has embraced.

Whether this declaration will accelerate the process on the ground or intensify existing tensions remains to be seen. What is certain is that the Bamasaaba diaspora has now formally and publicly staked its claim in the future of Masaaba cultural governance.