The police have this evening arrested ten members of the Bamasaba community who took part in a demonstration against recent remarks made by Gender and Culture State Minister Peace Mutuuzo.
Last week, Minister Mutuuzo called for the abolition of Imbalu a practice where adolescent boys are publicly circumcised. The minister described the practice as dehumanizing and barbaric.
The minister who was speaking to journalists in Kampala suggested that Bagisu should start using professional medical practitioners and government hospitals to be circumcised instead of the traditional means that run for days with people dancing through the villages.
Ms Mutuuzo’s remarks didn’t however go down well with the Bamasaba community living in Kampala that comprised of Elgon Thinkers Forum, Bamasaba Students Association and Bamasaba Kampala Chapter, staging a procession from Makerere University Business School (Mubs) demanding for the sacking of the minister.
According to those familiar with the Bugisu culture, those who decide to be circumcised from hospitals, at childhood or anywhere else are considered outcasts and cowards.
The Imbalu circumcision ceremony is held only during even years and it is a pivotal cultural occasion where individuals undergo as a passage to manhood. It involves the entire local community especially done among boys at 16-25years.
Some people have in the past asked government to promote the ceremony in terms of culture tourism.
Arrested
The groups that mainly attracted university students from Mubs, Makerere and Kyambogo danced to their traditional kadodi tunes through the suburbs of Nakawa upto Banda before they were intercepted by police which arrested Jeff Bogere Mukhwana, Twaha Kriss Namakola and Jastus Masaba, among others.
The six are currently detained at Jinja Police Station and police told this newsite that they were arrested for participating in an illegal procession and inciting violence.