Excitement is building as Bagisu prepare for the grand 2026 Imbalu kickoff in Mutoto this weekend, with 11 candidates set to face the knife.
Every even year, the Bamasaba living around the slopes of Mount Elgon and parts of western Kenya observe male circumcision known as Imbalu, a tradition passed down from their grandfathers.
The ritual signifies the initiation of boys into manhood among the Bagisu (Bamasaba), particularly those aged 16 years and above.
As the official launch for the 2026 circumcision season, scheduled on August 1 at Mutoto Cultural Ground in Mbale City, draws closer, about 11 candidates from the BaMutoto clan, one of the 26 clans in Bugisu, have been selected to launch Imbalu before it spreads to other clans.
Mr Moses Kutoyi, one of the elders and a traditionalist, said the miraculous bird appeared, confirming the timing of the launch.
‘The August 1 date was determined through a ritual involving a bird performed in July, which confirmed the timing of the launch of circumcision,’ he said.
Mr Kutoyi explained that during Imbalu season, the families in Bugisu are forbidden from acts which might anger the gods.
‘During this time, cultural norms require families to observe peace-no divorce, no wife beating, and minimal quarrels,’ he said.
The process of identifying candidates for circumcision always begins when a boy reaches around 16 years of age.
At this stage, parents start communicating with relatives on both the paternal and maternal sides to inform them of the intention to have the boy circumcised.
Preparations to face the knife then begin in line with cultural norms, including preserving enough millet in the granary to support the ceremonies.
This Publication has learnt that this year’s circumcision is likely to attract over 10,000 boys.
In 2024, about 6,024 boys were circumcised across the Bugisu region.
Unlike the previous circumcision ceremony, which was organized by a cultural institution headed by the current gazetted Umukuuka, Mike Jude Mudoma, this year’s is being spearheaded by the district chairpersons due to wrangles among the parallel cultural heads over who is the rightful king to preside over the ceremony.
The decision was arrived at during a meeting chaired by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Gen. Henry Tumukunde, about a fortnight ago.
The organising committee is now soliciting for Shs1.2 billion from organisations operating in the Bugisu Sub-region, development partners and well-wishers to facilitate the opening ceremony.
Speaking during the unveiling of the committee last week, Mr Hosea Kigai Kimono, the Manafwa District LCV Chairperson, who also serves as Chairperson of the Bugisu LCV Chairpersons’ Forum and overall Chairperson of the Imbalu Organising Committee, said the arrangement was intended to ensure a peaceful ceremony amid the ongoing leadership dispute among the rival factions.
“We are fully in charge of organising this year’s Imbalu ceremony, and we call upon all Bamasaba to cooperate with us and make this cultural event colourful, peaceful and successful,” Kimono said.
The General Secretary of the Imbalu Organising Committee and Namisindwa District LCV Chairperson, Mr Emma Bwayo, said the decision to have the LCV Chairpersons oversee the ceremony was aimed at promoting accountability, transparency and smooth coordination.
Mr Bwayo assured the public that Mutoto Cultural Site remains secure and confirmed that the Imbalu ceremony would proceed uninterrupted.
Mr James Muboolo, an elder and a resident of Makudui village, says traditionally, after circumcision-which marked the transition from boyhood to manhood-young men aged between 18 and 22 were encouraged to marry immediately, but this is changing.
‘They were instructed to find a wife regardless of her age, as it was believed that epidemic diseases were rare at the time. Today, however, this trend has changed, especially for boys who are still in school, where emphasis is placed on remaining focused on education rather than early marriage,’ he said
In the past, after circumcision, boys were required to undergo various cultural practices intended to test their manhood.
One such practice involved engaging in sexual relations with an elderly woman, usually one who had reached menopause, as a way of cleansing bad omens.
‘It was taboo to begin sexual relations with a young girl. However, these practices are no longer encouraged. Instead, herbal medicine is now used for cleansing, reducing exposure to the risks of epidemic diseases,’ Mr Majidu Mudebo, the chairperson of the local surgeons in Bugisu, said.
Mr Joseph Weyusa, an elder from Mbale City, said initially, only traditional herbs were used for healing circumcision wounds, a process that was painful and took a long time.
‘With the introduction of modern medicine, healing has become faster and less painful. These changes reflect a positive evolution of the culture, improving personal health without undermining its core values,’ he said.
Records indicate that the Imbalu ceremony in Bugisu dates back to 1804, although it is believed that the practice began many centuries earlier.