By NEW VISION
Wilson Wamimbi, the former cultural leader of Bugisu, has passed away, as confirmed by the Inzu ya Masaaba cultural institution on Friday. Alfred Geresom Musamali, the institution’s information minister, revealed that Wamimbi had recently been hospitalized in Namulanda, Wakiso district, where he passed away on Friday evening at the age of either 85 or 86. Musamali mentioned in a brief statement that further details regarding Wamimbi’s birth, education, career, and demise would be forthcoming.
Born in 1938 in Busano sub-county, Mbale district, Wamimbi attended Nabumali High School before pursuing teacher training at Kyambogo College and later earning a degree in marketing from Makerere University. He initially worked as a marketing officer at Bugisu Co-operative Union before entering politics in 1987 as the chairman of Mbale district. Furthermore, he served as Uganda’s High Commissioner to Canada in the 1990s.
In August 2010, Wamimbi was elected to the position of Umukhuka after defeating his sole opponent, Canon Codovia Wakiro, by 41 votes to 22 for a five-year non-renewable term. However, the electoral process faced challenges as some delegates, including seven members from Babukusu in Kenya, questioned the method used by the cultural council to select the candidates. This controversy was eventually resolved by Masika, Nabudere, and Prof. Timothy Wangusa, who argued that the selection of candidates complied with the provisions of the cultural constitution.
Wamimbi’s election as Umukhuka marked the end of years of Joseph Kanyanya’s attempts to impose himself as Umukhuka, including his endeavor to establish his throne at Mutoto, the seat of Bamasaba cultural activities. This move was opposed by the Bamasaaba, who had never had a royal family. At the time of Wamimbi’s election, the Bamasaba had been without a cultural institution since the 1960s when Y. B. Mungoma was appointed Umuinga, equivalent to Umukhuka, until Obote abolished kingdoms.
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