Uganda, May 6 -- A long-running leadership dispute within the Bugisu cultural institution (Bukuuka Bwa Bugisu) has entered a decisive phase, with court-led mediation now underway at the High Court in Mbale in a bid to resolve deep divisions among the Bamasaba community.

The mediation, facilitated by the Judiciary under its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework, officially commenced on April 24. It is intended to consolidate and resolve multiple pending court cases while restoring unity in a cultural institution that has been fractured since around 2020.

At the centre of the dispute are competing claims to the position of Umukuuka, the supreme cultural leader of the Bamasaba.

On one side is Jude Mike Mudoma, who currently leads...