Buganda traditional ceremonies MCs to acquire licenses after workshop slated for late June at Lubiri, Mengo

By Mariam Namakula

Due to the deepening erosion of Buganda cultural norms and practices, Buganda kingdom has announced its intention to streamline how traditional ceremonies around the kingdom must be conducted, through organizing workshops.

In a two days’ workshop, that is meant to guide most especially the masters of ceremonies, among other stake holders, Buganda is looking forward to sensitizing its masses on how to uphold to the principles and standards of a proper traditional ceremony.

The event will be held at Lubiri, on 29 and 30 next month (June). Each workshop participant will pay Ugx 100,000 upon registration.

Speaking to journalists at Bulange Mengo, Minster for Culture and Norms Hon. David Kyewalabye Male said that this will help eradicate the languished practices of Buganda traditional practices during all traditional functions.

 “A big number of the people have been expressing their discontent on how the kingdom has handled the issue. We have therefore organized a work shop to train and equip the stake holders with necessary skills in order to avert the trend,” Kyewalabye Male said.

The workshop will be under the theme “Reshaping the Customs and Norms of Traditional Marriage in Buganda.” 

For many, attending this kind of ceremonies had become a mere source of pleasure, forgetting the real essence of them (such ceremonies).

Male expressed concern on behalf of kingdom  on how the principles have been misinterpreted. He said Masters of Ceremonies  have consistently continued to violate traditional customs and norms.

He however emphasized that the workshop will not in any way interfere with the things that make traditional marriage ceremonies interesting.

Language, according to Kyewalabye Male, was other issue that will be looked upon as it is also misused by Masters of Ceremonies and other people around the kingdom.

He urged all stake holders to attend the work shop in order to acquire the required skills.

All those who will attend the workshop will be given certificates and a fully registered license by Uganda Revenue Authority.

Failure to attend the workshop, according to Male, will be rendering a disservice to Buganda kingdom, and a disgrace to the king since they were executing his (the King’s) mandate.

The president, Masters of Ceremony Association,  Hanington Sonko, also present, said this will help them disassociate themselves from illicit people in their profession as they have been always been accused of being the perpetrators of the vice.