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MASINDI - Muslims in Masindi district have been asked to embrace the upcoming national census, among other government-related programmes.

Masindi Khadi Sheikh Yahya Mugisa made the call on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, during the celebration of Idd at Kirasa Mosque in Masindi municipality.

According to him, the census exercise should be embraced because it is what the Government bases on for proper planning.

He cautioned the Muslims against hiding their children and other properties saying that there are men who don't want their children counted.

"Population census is for your benefit. When the officials come embrace them," he said.
 Addressing Muslims at Kihande Mosque, the deputy district Khad Hassim Ssekandi called upon all Muslims to always embrace all government programmes.

He added that all programmes including the national ID registration, immunisation and the population census should be embraced.

Sheikh Yahaya Mugisa said the census exercise should be embraced because it is what the Government bases on for proper planning. (All Photos by Yosam Gucwaki)

Ensure that all Muslims benefit

He also asked the Government to ensure that Muslims benefit from all government programmes noting that some policies do not favour them, especially in programmes where they are supposed to pay for interest.

"For instance, we can't benefit from programs like Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM) because we have to pay interest and our religion doesn't support that," he said.

He called upon the Government to always bring religious leaders on board whenever it's introducing a programme saying this will enable different government programs to succeed.

Ssekandi also reiterated the issue of ensuring that the roads leading to the main mosques are tarmacked under the upgrade of oil roads which is currently ongoing by different companies in the Bunyoro region.

Construction companies like China Railway No.5 which worked on the Kigumba-Masindi-Hoima-Kyenjojo road and China Communication Construction Company (CCCC), which constructed Masindi-Para road have worked on several roads in Masindi town. More roads are also expected from STC Construction Company which is constructing Masindi -Biiso road.

He explained that President Museveni directed that all roads leading to religious institutions and government institutions be tarmacked but to their surprise, roads leading to the Catholic and Anglican institutions were tarmaked leaving out theirs.