By APN Reporter
apearlnews.com
The Muslims of Kisoga Masjid Taqwa in Nazigo Muslim County, Kayunga Muslim District, have renounced rebellion and returned to the mainstream leadership under the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-UMSC.
The Muslims announced their decision shortly after the last Friday congregational prayers, attended by a mammoth crowd.
The Imam Sheikh Abdusalam Sendagire Gganda informed the chief guest, Sheikh Murshid Muhammad Luwemba, the UMSC Secretary for Religious Affairs, that they were misled to denounce UMSC by a clique led by one Sheikh Abdunur Kakande, who purports to be the Kadhi of Greater Mukono.
“We have for a long time been told lies about UMSC until we realized that we were only following selfish motives that have nothing to do with promoting Islam and the Muslim community in general,” said Sheikh Sendagire.
In his speech, Sheikh Luwemba congratulated his hosts for making a wise decision to return to the right path of UMSC, which stands firm under unity. Sheikh Luwemba emphasized that unity is part and parcel of Islam that was ordained by Almighty Allah, so it is an order from above that Muslim faithful have to obey.
He quoted various verses of the Glorious Quran and traditions of Prophet Muhammad that admonish Muslims to obey both their civic and religious leaders. In addition, he said, “UMSC is the umbrella body for all Muslims without any discrimination, so you have to support its programs and, in turn, your descendants will be the beneficiaries in all spheres of life, such as scholarships and other developmental programs.”
In response to the request of the Muslims for the construction of a primary school, Sheikh Luwemba pledged on behalf of the council to see to it that UMSC, in conjunction with its development partners, supports the revival of a primary school at the mosque that sits on 3 acres of land and started in 1940 but collapsed many years back.
He encouraged Muslims to vote in the upcoming UMSC National Elections. Sheikh Khatwibu Mukuluwakiika, the former Acting Deputy Mufti, reminded the congregants to remain steady and never to return to rebellion because it was unIslamic and uncivilized, adding that leadership comes from God, so there is no way a Muslim can disobey the reigning Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, because he was universally elected by the entire Muslim population following the UMSC Constitution.
Sheikh Mukuluwakiika preached, “Had you died in that state of disobedience, you would have been held accountable before God.” The Kisoga Town Council LC 3 chairperson, Paul Ssemujju, and LC I Village Chairperson, Bernard Ssekiziyizu, hailed the Muslims of their area for their wise decision to choose unity and pledged to support the revival of the school.
The Ntejeru South MP, Patrick Nsanja, sent an apology for his absence and pledged to give more financial contributions toward Muslim projects as he has been doing in the past. In attendance were Sheikh Zakiyu Burhan Serunjoji, the Kadhi of Nakawa Muslim District, who was the main preacher; Kayunga Muslim District leaders led by Sheikh Muhammad Haruna, the Kadhi of the area; County Sheikhs and Imams, among others. In their written reports, the area Muslim leadership showed that they have made achievements in terms of building more mosques, providing welfare services to the vulnerable and managing to convince 300 mosques to return under the fold of UMSC.
