Speaker Oboth-Oboth Escorted to Safety After Chaos Erupts at Imbalu Launch

Title: Speaker Oboth-Oboth Escorted to Safety After Chaos Erupts at Imbalu Launch

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth-Oboth was forced to leave the Mutoto Cultural Grounds early on Saturday after Kadodi revellers stormed the VIP section shortly after he began reading President Yoweri Museveni’s speech as the guest of honour.

His security team and other operatives struggled to control the crowd as locals rushed toward the platform where the Speaker was addressing thousands of people gathered for the Imbalu launch ceremony.

Unlike previous editions, which were organised by the cultural institution, this year’s event was coordinated by district chairpersons following leadership disputes among rival cultural leaders over who should preside over the ceremony.

Among those in attendance were district chairpersons from across Bugisu, Members of Parliament from the sub-region, and several dignitaries, including the Kenyan Ambassador to Uganda.

“The ceremony turned chaotic after a group of traditional circumcision dancers escorting candidates to the ritual broke through the VIP section and charged toward the Speaker. His security team quickly evacuated him,” said Mr. Joshua Mafabi, a father of one of the candidates.

It is alleged that the candidates and their escorts lost the designated spiritual pathway leading to the nearby swamp, where Imbalu candidates perform the traditional Khuwakha Litosi mudding ritual.

Khuwakha Litosi involves smearing circumcision candidates with mud before the actual circumcision. The ritual is regarded as a symbolic act that connects the initiates with their ancestral spirits.

Mr. Emma Bwayo, Secretary of the organising committee and Chairperson of Namisindwa District, attributed the disruption to delays caused by the late arrival of the chief guest.

“The Speaker’s speech came at the same time the candidates were supposed to proceed to the swamp for the mudding ritual. Apart from that, the function was successful,” he said.

However, some locals told Daily Monitor that the presence of government officials who are allegedly not circumcised is believed to anger the ancestral spirits.

This is not the first time the Mutoto Cultural Grounds have experienced such an incident. In 2022, Kadodi dancers also broke through the VIP section after a tent was reportedly erected along the spiritual route used by Imbalu candidates returning from the Khuwakha Litosi ritual.

Every even-numbered year, the Bamasaba living on the slopes of Mount Elgon and parts of western Kenya observe the Imbalu circumcision ritual, a tradition passed down through generations. The ceremony marks the initiation of boys, particularly those aged 16 years and above, into manhood.

The launch of this year’s Imbalu season began with the circumcision of candidates from the BaMutoto clan, one of the 26 clans in the Bugisu region, before the ritual spreads to other clans.

Historical records indicate that the Imbalu ceremony in Bugisu dates back to 1804, although it is believed the tradition began many centuries earlier.

According to Daily Monitor, this year’s Imbalu season is expected to attract more than 10,000 candidates. In 2024, a total of 6,024 boys were circumcised across the Bugisu region.