The dancers swayed their hips to the rhythm of drummers who set the pace for the anticipated mass circumcision ceremony of the Bamasaba people in Uganda’s eastern mountains. 

However, the lively street festivities masked a growing conflict behind the scenes. Some locals were questioning their king about the public display of Imbalu, a ritual involving the circumcision of thousands of boys every other year in this remote community near the Uganda-Kenya border. 

The debate was whether the ceremony should be transformed into a spectacle for tourists or preserved as a sacred tradition where families quietly prepare their sons to face the rite with bravery. The king, known as the Umukuuka, advocated for a traditional festival that would also attract visitors. The Imbalu organizers received over $120,000 from the Ugandan government and a corporate sponsor for the Aug. 3 ceremonial inauguration held at a park in Mbale.

In an interview with the AP, Umukuuka explained that modernizing Imbalu posed challenges and defended his choice to market the ritual as a tourist attraction in alignment with Uganda’s national development goals. He cited economic pressures and commercialization as factors threatening the communal aspect of Imbalu and emphasized the importance of preserving the tradition within the clan system.

However, the Ugandan government’s involvement has sparked concern among many Bamasaaba, highlighting tensions regarding this crucial ceremony for the ethnic group of four million. Some locals felt that the Umukuuka, in his first year of office, was diminishing the rituals’ significance by opening it up to external interests.  

Wasukira Mashate, an elder and custodian of Bamasaba cultural heritage, criticized the Umukuuka for sidelining clan leaders with genuine spiritual authority. “Our leadership is being hijacked by national political figures,” he said. “The ritual was for our cultural benefit, but now it’s becoming a national event because the government has taken control.”

During the inauguration, an irate crowd gathered outside the sacred shrine where Imbalu traditionally begins with the sacrifice of a local bull. Clan members protested the use of a mixed-breed bull, insisting that only a local breed was suitable. Kareem Masaba criticized Umukuuka for bringing what he described as an inappropriate sacrifice, accusing him of disrespect. 

The disagreement over the sacrificial animal delayed the ceremony into the late afternoon as tensions escalated among the crowd armed with machetes and other weapons. Despite the unrest, the Umukuuka, seated among dignitaries in a nearby tent, did not concede. In retaliation, clan members refused to present the first group of initiates before the Umukuuka, whose real name is Jude Mudoma. The mass circumcisions are scheduled to continue until the end of 2024.

The initiation of boys into adulthood through tribal circumcision has long been contentious in African countries like South Africa, where incidents of fatal botched circumcisions among Xhosa-speaking communities have sparked movements advocating for safer clinical practices. In contrast, the Bamasaba people, whose circumcision method is equally severe, have not seen similar calls to end the practice. For the Bamasaba, Imbalu is viewed as increasingly significant, particularly in light of widespread hospital circumcisions. They believe that boys not initiated through tribal customs face the risk of lifelong social issues.

The traditional circumcision among the Bamasaba is carried out by a surgeon using a knife made from melted nails. In Kampala, hundreds of kilometers away, Bamasaba is known to forcibly circumcise those who attempt to avoid the ritual. Additionally, the bodies of men who die uncircumcised can be desecrated before burial.

“Circumcision makes us strong,” said Peter Gusolo, a traditional surgeon, illustrating his people’s perceived sexual prowess. He emphasized the seriousness of the practice, stating, “We will circumcise you at night and bury you in the morning if necessary.” He also noted, “We won’t bury you in Bamasaba   land unless you are circumcised. It’s embedded in our cultural constitution… It is considered a curse to bury uncircumcised people here.”

Gusolo, who lives on a hillside plantation of arabica coffee plants, spent days isolating himself in a cave and abstaining from intimacy with his wife to be spiritually prepared for the ritual. Despite holding certificates from local health authorities, traditional surgeons rely on hereditary titles and believe that spiritual strength is crucial for proper healing.

The first initiation candidate this year was a teenager whose face was covered in mud and homemade beer dregs. As the boy lay with his legs spread and stared at the sky, a crowd surrounding him urged him to show bravery. The surgeon, without using anaesthetic, quickly performed the circumcision. A family member collected the boy’s skin to protect him from witchcraft and took it home.

Emmanuel Watundu, the father of a 17-year-old initiate, supported Imbalu, describing it as a pivotal event his son had desired. However, he criticised the festival-like atmosphere created by “peer groups” and the presence of outside participants who, he felt, were not aligned with traditional values. He also criticised the Ugandan government’s involvement, suggesting it tarnished the Umukuuka’s role as the chief organiser of Imbalu.

Wilson Watira, who led the organising committee, defended the government’s involvement, asserting that their support was meant to honour Bamasaaba tradition. He argued that the lively street festivities were a way to bring joy and attract global interest. “We want to show the world that our culture is vibrant and can be enjoyed,” Watira said, emphasising that their goal was to transform perceptions of the ritual from being seen as barbaric to something that can be both respected and appreciated.