Supreme Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi has urged Muslim leaders to stop fighting for mosques.

Galabuzi made the appeal during the opening of the annual Muslim Supreme District Kadhi conference at Kibuli Core Primary Teachers College in Kampala on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

“I have noted with concern the renewed fights over mosques across the country spearheaded by unguided leaders. Please, don’t fight for mosques. If you were under the other side (Uganda Muslim Supreme Council), make your intentions clear that you are no longer part of them. I think this is better than engaging in fights. We don’t want to lose lives because of fighting for mosques,” Galabuzi said. 

Galabuzi has encouraged mosques paying allegiance to his leadership to register with the office of the Supreme Mufti Awaqf (endowment) department to minimise on the likely bloody fights that have been witnessed in some parts of the country.

(L-R) Shk. Hussein Sekajja the deputy Kadhi Kampala, Shk. Yasir Araft Kulumba the director for religious affairs interacting the Supreme Mufti Muhammad Galabuzi. This was during the opening ceremony of the district Kaads’ conference that was organize by the office of the Supreme Mufti at Kibuli on May 22, 2024.

Wakiso supreme Kadhi Sheikh Kassim Ssengonzi reported that there have been renewed fights over mosques in the district. 

Flanked by his deputies Sheikh Mahad Kakooza and Sheikh Abdallah Juma Vuni, the second and third deputy supreme mufti respectively, Galabuzi urged the Muslim leaders under his office from mosque to the national level to up their game in the execution of their mandate.

“We must work hard because we need to leave behind a documented track record of our activities including achievements and challenges,” Galabuzi noted.

Going forward, Galabuzi said each supreme kadhi must submit a report to his office on all the affairs in their jurisdiction on a quarterly basis showing marriages celebrated, divorce cases handled and events attended among others.

“You must also furnish us with the list of orphans in your area for support. Many of our children have been converted because of small offers and we need to wake up. We must plan for our orphans because members of other faiths are converting our children, especially the orphans because we have abandoned them,” Galabuzi said.

He also appealed to the Muslims to visit the sick and the imprisoned, saying it a cardinal principle in Islam: “We need to support the sick people and also visit the imprisoned and counsel them. So, as Muslim leaders, you should focus on this in your area. This is what we are supposed to do”.

According to him, all Muslim leaders should not only support global peace but must be at the forefront of the crusade.

Lack of accountability

Giving a lecture to the leaders on the major challenges of Muslim governance in Uganda, Hussein Sseggujja, a senior banker observed that Muslim leadership in the country have been characterised by lack of accountability and leadership skills.

“As leaders under the office of the Supreme Mufti, you must make a difference. Allah gave us the brains to reason and we must use it to make a difference,” he said.

Sseggujja implored leaders to put in place a board of trustees and a management committee at every mosque to minimise on the fights over mosque leadership.

“You should have a board of trustees at every mosque composed of about 3-5 competent people and the management committee of about seven to nine eminent people and they should convene meetings at least once a month,” he said.

The strategic goals of the office of the Supreme Mufti include restoring confidence in the leadership of the Muslim community in Uganda, and increasing access to social services in terms of education, health, shelter, water, and food production among others.

During the conference, Muslim women in attendance led by Hajat Faridah Kibowa, the chairperson of the National Women’s Council in Uganda appealed to the Supreme Mufti to have them included in the leadership structure.