Cultural leader held for 12 hours

Bududa- One of the Babukusu cultural leaders, Mr Joseph Washi Kanyanya, was last Saturday put under house arrest for more than 12 hours at his palace under unclear circumstances.
UPDF and police led by the Elgon Regional police commander, Mr Francis Chemusto, sealed off the Babukusu Palace in Bulucheke Sub-county, Bududa District at the weekend and maintained heavy deployment .

Detention
Mr Kanyanya, a self-styled cultural leader of the Babukusu ethnic community, and an unknown number of his subjects were locked up and denied chance to talk to anybody.
A senior police officer who preferred anonymity told Daily Monitor that the cultural leader was locked after police intelligence learnt that he was organising his subjects to disorganise a bull-roasting function organised by Inzu Ya Masaba.

Mr Bob Mushikori, the recognised cultural leader for Bamasaba Kingdom organised a bull-roasting ceremony at the Babukusu palace ahead of the Imbalu inauguration scheduled for yesterday. The Babukusu kingdom accused the Inzu Ya Masaba of interfering with their activities.

Mr Rogers Nakasale, the public relations officer, Babukusu Kingdom told this newspaper on phone that they had requested the Inspector General of Police to provide them with security ahead of their Imbalu inauguration.

He said they suspect police could have connived with politicians to interfere with the activities of their kingdom.
“The Omukuuka is a cultural leader for Bamasaba not Babukusu. He is not supposed to step in our palace without permission,” Mr Nakasale said.

Security
Mr Rogers Nakasale added that the Bamasaba want to use police in to takeover the Babukusu kingdom.
Mr Chemusto told Daily Monitor that they were maintaining peace.

“We are keeping security for both kingdoms. We are not here to harass anybody,” Mr Chemusto said.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com