FILE PHOTO: Imbalu ceremonies attracts a lot of people
Mbale, Uganda | URN | AT least 2,000 traditional surgeons are set to undergo training to enable them safely remove the foreskins off thousands of boys to turn them into men during the coming Imbalu season due in four months’ time.
The Bugisu cultural institution has also intensified internal preparations for the upcoming Imbalu Circumcision Ceremony, with leaders disclosing plans to host high-profile regional and international guests ahead of the official launch in August 2026.
Speaking to our reporter on Thursday, Stephen Masiga, the spokesperson for the cultural institution, confirmed that the official opening ceremony is scheduled for August 1, 2026, at the historic Mutoto cultural grounds.
According to Masiga, the institution has extended invitations to various regional leaders who have expressed interest in attending.
“We are doing internal preparations and we are inviting several heads of state, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto of Kenya will be coming, and we have invited His Majesty King Mswati III of Swaziland.”
A major focus of this year’s preparations, he said, is the training and certification of traditional surgeons who carry out the circumcision rituals. According to Masiga, more than 2,000 surgeons will undergo formal training, screening, and registration to ensure safety and professionalism during the ceremony.
The institution also issued a stern warning against “masqueraders” attempting to engage in “premature” circumcision before the official August launch.
