Wednesday 24th August marked a revolutionary chapter for the Bamasaaba. It was the night of the launch of Bamasaaba Bawandikha, a platform to promote Bagisu writers.

Hon. Wamaii and George Kiwanuka

Conceived from the lack of deliberate celebration around writers from the Mt. Elgon region, poets, novelists, playwrights and film script writers, even with many making incredible strides in the literary industry, the gap needed to be bridged.

During the second Babishai Poetry Festival, a number of cotporates, writers, performers and well-wishers gathered in the Sun Lounge at Kati Kati in Kampala to celebrate the launch of a potential outstanding initiative. Present amongst the guests was George Manana, the honourable gentleman who translated the Constitution of Uganda into Lumasaaba, a project he said spoke volumes of the Constitution’s relevance moreso that certain words had no translation, like the word Constitution itself.

While he read parts of it, all in attendance were struck by the care and precision it must have taken to complete such a worthy project.

George Manana
Honourable Jack Wamaii, Honourable MP of Mbale, launched the writers’ platform and emphasized the need to honour our country by not just reading what the Constitution desires but to follow it. For a nation to be great, good governance is pertinent and we all deserved to be lead by people of honour.

Mrs. Betty Mugoya and Deirdre Mukweli

There were performances from younger Bagisu like poets Donald Maasa and Sammy Wetala and Jaq Dewei who also runs the Bamasaaba night at Silk Lounge.

The launch was the start of a long term project which would culminate in the promotion and production of more creative literature from the Bamasaaba and about the culture too.