Ugandan Muslim pilgrims warned against soiling country’s image in Mecca

KAMPALA - The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) and State House officials have warned a team of Muslim pilgrims against misrepresenting Uganda's image when they travel to Mecca this month, on Monday next week.

While addressing the group of 21 pilgrims from across the country, senior presidential advisor in charge of mobilisation, Moses Byaruhanga, cautioned the pilgrims against misconduct, saying their individual actions will reflect negatively on the country’s image.

Byaruhanga made these remarks at the Kampala city-based Gaddafi Mosque, which houses the UMSC headquarters. The pilgrim induction /flight briefing session took place in the building’s conference hall located in Old Kampala on Friday, August 22, 2025.

“The message to the pilgrims is that when you are out there in Mecca, you are Uganda's ambassadors. You are not there just as an individual Emirati or a district Khadi, or an Imam. You are there as Uganda,” Byaruhanga said.

The Presidential advisor also reminded the excited pilgrims that “a lot of people see you as Uganda. So, how you behave, how you present yourself, they see Uganda in you. So be our good ambassadors and also pray for your country, Uganda, to remain peaceful.”

Sh30b earmarked for Muslim SACCOS

He also told the pilgrims that the President has offered to give shillings 30 billion to empower Muslim leaders in various districts, with each district set to receive an annual cash injection of shillings 200 million in their savings and credit co-operative unions (SACCOs).

This amount, according to Byaruhanga, will be distributed in a gender sensitive format, with 100 million set aside for females, while the other half, 100 million, to benefit their male counterparts.

“One for imams who are men and one for Emiratis who are women. So that in every district, you have two SACCOS. We put in 100 million in each Sacco. That's 200 million per district,” he confirmed.

Moses Byaruhanga, Senior Presidential Advisor In-charge of Political Mobilization (Right) handing over travel documents to Aisha Tumwebaze, one of the beneficiaries from Kibale district (Centre), as Abbas Sekyanzi Muluubya, General Secretary Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (Left), looks on. This was during the flagging-off ceremony of President Museveni sponsored Muslim pilgrims to Mecca held at Gaddafi Mosque on Friday, 22 August 2025. (Credit: Colleb Mugume)

In a session held earlier on Friday morning, Sheikh Abdul Ssali, a muslim cleric, had severely cautioned the pilgrims against misconduct while in the Islamic holy land in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

In a lengthy session, he elaborated on the requirements for them during the pilgrimage and the details of Islamic etiquette and code of conduct that they should not deviate from.

The 21 pilgrims are all State-sponsored, except for a few who managed to finance their own flights and stay in Mecca.

The contingent is expected to depart Entebbe airport on Monday, 25, 2025, at 6:45 pm (EAT) and was told to arrive at Entebbe International Airport a few hours earlier for check-in by 3:00 pm (EAT).

“All the visas are with us in the office, and so are the air tickets. You will be flying Ethiopian Airlines from Entebbe to Jeddah,” Sheikh Ssali explained.

One of the flight beneficiaries that New Vision Online interviewed expressed joy and gratitude to the State House and President Museveni for this great opportunity of a lifetime.

“I'm very happy about what has happened today. This is my first time seeing such things, so I'm very, very, very happy.

I don't have much to say. That is the only thing I'm happy about, what the government has done for us. I'm just a local council 1 chairperson in senior quarters,” he told this publication.

Some of the other pilgrims included: Jalia Nantambi (Kampala), Aisha Neumbe (Kaliro) and Zainab Namirembe (Wakiso).

One of the female pilgrims this publication spoke to, 29-year-old Nuriat Musoke (Based in Kampala), who is an administrative assistant secretary for Jia and Umrah, expressed her joy upon this achievement.

“I also thank the State House, the President for giving me this chance to perform Umrah.”

Her fellow pilgrim, Aisha Tumwebaze from Kibale, who is a member of the General Assembly representing women from Bunyoro and Toro Muslim region, said they had been struggling for this opportunity since last year (2024).

“Last time when they were going for Hijjah, they left us behind, so the president promised that we are going to go for Umrah this year and we shall go for Hijjah next year,” Tumwebaze noted.

Adding that, “I'm so grateful to the president of Uganda and the state house at large because of this offer that it has been so good to us as Muslims and me personally as a Muslim woman who is representing the region of Bonyoro and Toro. Thank you.”