MBALE CITY, July 30, 2024 – The Member of Parliament for Mbale Northern City Division, Seth Wambede Kizangi, hosted over 300 imbalu [circumcision] candidates from Bukonde and Lwasso at his home in Makosi, Bukonde, Mbale City, on Sunday, calling for peace and unity as they celebrate their cultural heritage.
The Bukonde, and Lwasso candidates are preparing for circumcision on August 10, 2024. The MP donated to the boys items including basins, wrappers for use after circumcision, and Shs 20,000 to each candidate.
The MP also pledged to secure land titles for the fields at Kidumi and Nagwere in Bumalunda, to protect them from encroachers. He urged all Bamasaaba to cherish and maintain their rich cultural heritage.
Aliyi Nagwere, Chairman of Isoja for Bukonde Lwasso and Namanyonyi, appreciated MP Wambede’s generous support for the imbalu candidates.
“I advise imbalu dancers, and others to stop carrying sharp objects like pangas and spears during their processions, to respect to observe traffic rules while dancing along the roads,” Aliyi said.
Wedanya Tabu Nambuka, Chairman of the Mukonde clan in Inzu ya Masaba lauded MP Wambede for hosting the candidates to be circumcised.
He urged the candidates to be strong, and creative as they showcase the Isonja dance in Mutoto, Mbale City during the grand launch of the imbalu on August 3, 2024, noting that those from Mwambu and Mubuya clans are well-prepared for the cultural competition.
Politicians, government officials, and foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the imbalu launch which also attracts Bamasaaba from Kenya.
Imbalu takes place every even year in August. Imbalu ceremonies are not only staged in homes, but also in public spaces. Here, a broader audience witnesses the special dance and music performances.
But imbalu, like other cultural performances among the Bagisu, has been affected by fewer and fewer boys undergoing initiation. Hospital circumcision has become more common, and Christianity, Islam and western education have negatively impacted uptake.
Many Bamasaaba who have adopted western religious practices look at imbalu performances as something of a cult and consider these rituals to be “backward” and “primitive”.
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