County sheikhs get new official attire
Sheikh Bukenya said county sheikhs will be required to wear the official attire when attending formal functions.
The 2nd Deputy Mufti of Uganda, Dr Hafidh Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Bukenya, launching the new county sheikhs' attire. (Courtesy photo)
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The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) has introduced a new official uniform for county sheikhs, who will be required to wear the attire at public events.
The new attire was unveiled at the UMSC Jinja Muslim District Council headquarters on September 30, 2026, at a ceremony officiated by the Second Deputy Mufti, Dr Hafidh Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Bukenya, who represented the Mufti of Uganda, Dr Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, as the chief guest.
The event was attended by key UMSC leaders, including the national chairman, Prof. Dr Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, and the secretary for religious affairs, Sheikh Imran Ssali, regional assistants to the mufti, including Prof. Muhammad Hussein Bowa of the Busoga region and Sheikh Abubakar Umar Obilan of the Teso-Karamoja Region, as well as district kadhis and county sheikhs from across the country, also attended.
The launch follows an earlier initiative in which the UMSC introduced official attire for district kadhis. The council now plans to roll out official attire for the regional assistants to the mufti, the mufti, his deputies and all Imams.
Sheikh Bukenya said county sheikhs will be required to wear the official attire when attending formal functions.
“District kadhis will wear a distinctive green robe with gold embroidery, a special cap in green-and-gold, and a white shawl featuring the UMSC logo. Meanwhile, county sheikhs will don a blue robe with silver embroidery and a cap set to signify their authority,” he detailed.
During the event, Sheikh Imran Ssali, the secretary for religious affairs, said the attire was intended to promote unity, identity, representation and dignity among Muslim leaders.
He issued a 30-day deadline for all county sheikhs in Uganda to procure the new outfit, saying district kadhis and county sheikhs without the official tunic would not be recognised or permitted to represent the UMSC.
Sheikh Bukenya also acknowledged public support for the ongoing relief efforts in Karamoja, saying the recent mission to the region had exposed the harsh conditions faced by villagers.
Sheikh Bukenya also called on regional assistants to the mufti and district kadhis to prepare for the upcoming UMSC humanitarian caravan to Karamoja.
On September 25, 2026, Muti Mubaje led a humanitarian mission to provide emergency relief to 1,000 families affected by famine in Kotaruk village, Nadunget subcounty, Moroto district, and Napumpum village in Panyangara subcounty, Kotido district, both in the Karamoja sub-region.
Sheikh Abubakar Umar Obilan expressed gratitude to the mufti for his personal commitment to delivering aid to Karamoja. He also welcomed the new goal of distributing 10,000 packages containing various essential items.
Sheikh Obilan called on the UMSC, Islamic institutions such as the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), the government and other generous individuals to support the Teso-Karamoja Region in establishing a "Baitu Al-Maal" (treasury/silos). The initiative, he said, would support large-scale irrigation farming and increase local food production.
"We have fertile land that remains underutilised, capable of producing enough food to sustain our region and the entire country. With proper irrigation equipment, machinery, and agricultural inputs, we could reduce our reliance on external aid. While we rush to provide food relief to Karamoja, the Teso region struggles in silence and lacks the attention it deserves," Obilan emphasised.
The regional assistant to the mufti also encouraged district kadhis and county sheikhs in the Teso-Karamoja sub-region who had not yet secured their official attire to do so promptly and advised them to contact their respective district kadhis for registration and measurements.