MBALE, UGANDA: Among the Bamasaaba boys who finish imbalu about 70% of them drop out of school even those who stay in school begin bullying teachers and headteachers calling their teachers and headteachers Basinde or boys and don’t respect them at all and if you can’t respect your teachers then you are finished; emphasized Mr. Masiga Steven coordinator Makerere University Mbale centre during the training of Imbalu committee members and the media on responsive execution of their duties.
Members of the circumcision committee, which was constituted under the guidance of the minister of Gender Hon Betty Among were trained yesterday by Makerere university Mbale centre in areas of law, bordering on respect of the law as they go about with their duties in the upcoming imbalu ceremony slated for August 13 2022.
The trainees who included journalists from NTV Uganda , Daily Monitor, Farmers radio staff and signal Fm reporters and bloggers among others were skilled in legal and management aspects of their reporting.
The former LCV chairman Bududa district took participants through the pragmatic ways of how local governments have been managing imbalu ceremonies, using his experience as a former chairman who had superintended over imbalu activities for some time.
Mr Abdu Mutanje a management consultant took participants through management skills and Mr Steven Masiga of Makerere university Mbale centre emphasized the relevancy of respecting established laws while celebrating the Bamasaaba culture and customs. Mt. Masiga further challenged the media not to relay obscenities during the imbalu citing the Penal code Act sections 128 and 148 discourages indecent assaults or molestations, and said instead, girls celebrating the imbalu ought to be protected from any form of molestation .
He added that the Media and Electronic Act cap 104 also equally discourages any media house from relaying content that offends public morality hence journalists should carefully broadcast only that which is permissible within our laws.
Mr Masiga made particular emphasis on the nature of customary law in Uganda , and outlined key attributes of customs among which they are not supposed to contract any public policy and enacted laws.
He concluded by challenging the young boys who finish circumcision to also finish their education circle up to university level whereby they should use gifts acquired during imbalu as fees but not dowry for marriage since research findings indicate that over 70% of Bamasaaba drop out of school immediately after imbalu thinking that they now men. A few who stay in school equally disrespect teachers especially so if such teachers are not circumicised and argued those who face the knife to respect every one .
The university has a community responsibility to build capacities not only of students but key actors in communities such as those now engaged in imbalu planning ,various participants in the min public lecture expressed enormous appreciation to Makerere university for this training and said they will put the skills acquired to good use by protecting those celebrating the imbalu ceremony.
Mr Bwayo Robert one of the Local council’s leaders encouraged Makerere university to keep building capacities of key actors at various levels in society while former Deputy prime minister Inzu Yamasaba Right Hon Davis Wakane also welcomed the university intervention stating that in the past many young boys have ended up in prison over rape and defilement during such celebration of imbalu, and argued his friends who were trained to take the message to another level to benefit those who may not have attended the training.
The acting chairperson imbalu committee chairman Mr Mubuya Godwin welcomed Makerere university’s initiative.
While closing the workshop on behalf of the Makerere university Mbale branch, Mr Steven Masiga the centre coordinator thanked those who made the min public lecture possible and described them as true friends of Makerere university Mbale centre like professor Florence Wakoko of Washington university, prof Khaukha of president’s office, Dr Wambaka chairman strategic group of companies, Ms. Mutonyi Jackline of DFCU and Abdu Kigenyi of Mbale city council and others without them this may not been very possible.
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