Bugisu Clan Chairmen Petition President Museveni Over Imprisonment of Agnes Nandutu
The petition, coordinated through the office of the Umukuuka of Bugisu, His Royal Highness Jude Mike Mudoma III, brings together cultural leaders from the districts of Manafwa, Namisindwa, and Bududa. The leaders are appealing for the rescinding of Nandutu’s sentence and her subsequent release.
Over 100 clan chairmen from across the Bugisu sub-region have formally petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, seeking his intervention in the imprisonment of former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs and Bududa District Woman MP, Hon. Agnes Nandutu.
The petition, coordinated through the office of the Umukuuka of Bugisu, His Royal Highness Jude Mike Mudoma III, brings together cultural leaders from the districts of Manafwa, Namisindwa, and Bududa. The leaders are appealing for the rescinding of Nandutu’s sentence and her subsequent release.
According to the spokesperson of the Bugisu cultural institution, Hon. Steven Masiga, the leadership has resolved to formally engage the President on the matter. Masiga noted that as custodians of cultural unity and community welfare, the institution finds it necessary to present the concerns of the people of Bugisu regarding Nandutu’s conviction and imprisonment.
“The institution will be meeting the President to present the views and concerns of the people,” Masiga stated while updating the media on the developments.
The Umukuuka is currently in Manafwa District, where he convened a high-level meeting with clan chairmen from Mubuya and surrounding areas. The gathering, attended by more than 100 clan leaders, reflects growing concern within the region over the fate of the former minister.
Local government officials also attended the meeting, including the LC V Chairman of Manafwa District and the Assistant Resident District Commissioner (RDC), underscoring the significance of the issue within both cultural and administrative leadership structures.
The petition follows a recent ruling by the Anti-Corruption Court of Uganda, which sentenced Nandutu to four years in prison. Presiding judge Justice Kajuga also barred her from holding any public office for a period of 10 years, a decision that effectively halts her political career.
The sentencing has sparked mixed reactions, with sections of the Bugisu community expressing concern over its impact on regional representation and leadership.
As the Bugisu cultural leadership prepares to engage President Museveni, attention now turns to whether the petition will influence any executive or legal reconsideration of the case, and what it could mean for the broader discourse on justice, accountability, and reconciliation in Uganda.
