MBALE CITY – The Bugisu cultural institution has offered to mediate the ongoing dispute between Mbale City Mayor Her Worship Joyce Matuka and her political rival Vincent Magombe in a bid to promote reconciliation and unity among community leaders.
The spokesperson of the Bugisu cultural institution, Steven Masiga, said His Highness the Umukuka of Bugisu, Jude Mike Mudoma, is ready to lead mediation efforts between the two parties following the disagreement arising from the 2026 general elections.
Masiga said the cultural institution has a team trained by the Judiciary to handle community disputes, adding that the team has the necessary skills and experience to help resolve conflicts peacefully.
The mediation team includes Masiga himself, Hon. Irene Khainza Manghali, and Bugisu Culture Minister Hon. Moses Kutoi.
“His Highness the Umukuka has a team that was recently trained by the Judiciary to handle disputes in communities. We believe we have the capacity and intellectual foundation to bring reconciliation between the two parties and arrive at a position acceptable to everyone,” Masiga said.
He added that during an engagement with Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, both sides agreed that cultural institutions have an important role to play in resolving community disputes through dialogue and reconciliation.
The dispute follows the 2026 Mbale City mayoral election in which Joyce Matuka emerged winner after competing against several candidates, including Vincent Magombe of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Hajji Masa Musa, Mutwalibu Zandya, and an FDC candidate identified as Namugali.
Magombe, who was dissatisfied with the election outcome, challenged the results in court, leading to the ongoing legal process.
Masiga said the cultural institution will first seek guidance from Mbale High Court Resident Judge Dr. Farooq and the High Court Registrar Fred Waninda before beginning the mediation process.
He argued that mediation provides a faster and more affordable way of resolving disputes compared to lengthy court battles, which can take years due to case backlogs and may result in heavy legal costs.
“Many times, parties who ignore available guidance end up paying huge costs in damages. Lawyers can advise differently, but mediation never lies,” Masiga said.
He added that election-related disputes can take years to conclude in court, sometimes leaving parties with financial burdens, while mediation can help create understanding and strengthen unity among communities.
“As a cultural institution, we are here for the peace of our community,” Masiga said.
The proposed mediation comes at a time when stakeholders continue to call for peaceful resolution of political disagreements to maintain stability and cooperation in Mbale City.
