Luuka, (UG): Luuka chiefdom, one of the 11 chiefdoms making up the Busoga Kingdom has risen up to unite people and steer up development in the region by organizing Tabingwa Day where their appointed council will be sworn in on October 7, to promote culture and development in Luuka district.
In a press conference organized at Luuka district headquarters on Wednesday, the chairperson organizing committee, Ambassador counsel Dr David Balondemu says he was tasked by the chiefdom head HRH Willington Nabwana (Tabingwa) to engage clan leaders and county heads in steering up culture and development in the area.
Dr Balondemu says as a chiefdom, they demand services in the region like good roads, a hospital, and good schools, through one voice in addition to the voice of the political leaders, citing that the government always respond positively to people who are united and speaking one voice.
“When you’re organized and with committees, you can write to the president or anyone concerned as a group other than demanding as an individual. In the process, we can raise our issues in a group to add on the political voice,” Dr Balondemu said adding that they also need to utilize the Tabingwa land through the organized committee which will be sworn in soon.
Dr Balondemu stressed that they are not parting ways with Busoga Kingdom leadership like others purport but they are implementing what is under the law by uniting people for development adding that they intend to focus on agriculture, education, health and the general wellbeing of the people through engaging government and other institutions.
“We shall lobby from every corner but essentially we shall engage government as our primary focus. Government has a ministry of gender, labour and social development which is responsible for cultural institutions and thereafter, we shall roll out even to the president and other companies ready for social corporate responsibilities and other development partners outside Uganda,” Dr Balondemu added.
They feel the local leaders have done something but it is reportedly not enough and that when it comes to social services, they are still lagging behind as Luuka, pointing out that this unity is purely being established to reinforce what local leaders are doing with hope that they can make a difference, and they attributed the lack of good service to lack lobbyists and voices that can reach the decision-makers.
Mr Lwigo Daudi Igulu, the Prime Minister for Luuka Chiefdom says they are putting emphasis on culture to attract the coming generation in line with culture, especially by identifying the contributions of clans in the chiefdom as far as socioeconomic development is concerned.
“Actually it’s not a revival of Tabingwa chiefdom but it’s all about promoting culture, improving the socioeconomic development of people. Years back, the population was still low but currently, it’s growing and we need to prepare the next generations, and a number of ministries in the Tabingwa government will swear in including Luuka lukiiko, the county royal council, youths committee, among others,” Mr Lwigo said.
The LC5 Chairperson Luuka District, Mr Wakaze Simon attributed the division in achieving success, to politicians with ego and pride something he said has made the district lag behind yet they could speak one voice to attract the attention of concerned offices to act.
“People elect us simply because they want us to serve them but the only unfortunate factor coming in is where people have got ego and pride sometimes. This is why you can see divisionism since some people want others to worship them while others bring in the principle of animal farm where some animals think they are more animals than others,”
“We think that under the chiefdom of Tabingwa, we’re all bowing down towards our leader and we’re supposed to serve the people,” Mr Wakaze said adding that Luuka has no factories to provide people with jobs which will maintain labour force within the district instead of depriving the district of human resource.
The chairperson Tabingwa Women’s Council, Ms Ntumba Sarah said they intend to bring all the girls closure to their culture through their commitment to unity through their Tabingwa parliament which will enable them move in a number of villages to sharpen people on their culture.
“We need to encourage our girl children to study and be great people like the likes of Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga and others. We have not been having Tabingwa parliament and we shall restore it that day and elect the speaker and other positions to steer the council,” Ms Ntumba said before calling upon all people to unite and utilize the well-positioned Luuka people to support development in the district.
Meanwhile, the chief mobilizer of the upcoming event who is also FDC-leaning politician Mr Meddy Mbentyo called upon all people in Luuka to turn up in big numbers to witness the council which will steer the development activities in Luuka under the stewardship of the Tabingwa of Luuka chiefdom HRH Willington Nabwana.
“This is the foundation to speak one voice but led by ‘Tabingwa’ so I call upon all people from Luuka and beyond to support the initiative to make our October 7, function a success. We are still making meetings in preparation of the swearing-in function, and we shall plant a number of trees ahead of the function,” Mr Mbentyo said.
Some of the activities to prepare for the swearing-in will be a medical camp led by the District Health Officer of Luuka.
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