Jinja Muslims call for religious tourism promotion

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Jinja Muslim leaders have appealed to visiting Qatar travel agents to lobby for support from Qatar in funding the promotion of religious tourism in Jinja and Uganda at large.

They say religious tourism is crucial in communities they live in, and it must be boosted through the establishment of various projects such as the construction of Mosques, planning religious activities and ceremonies, and Muslim community schools, among others, to build a thriving society guided by Islamic values.

The leaders, led by Uganda embassy in Qatar deputy head of mission Haji Muhamad Baswale Kezaala appealed before a seven-man delegation of travel agents from Qatar who had visited the headquarters of Busoga Africa Muslim Jamat and Iqra Secondary School at Masjid Hudaya in Walukuba West ward, Jinja Southern division in Jinja city on May 19, 2025.

The deputy head of mission at the Uganda Embassy in Qatar, Haji Muhamad Baswari Kezala (seated 2nd right) in a group photograph with some of the Qatar travel agents who came to visit tourism sites in Uganda. (Photo by Donald Kiirya)

Travel agents from Qatar are on a familiarisation tour of Uganda’s tourism sites and promotion of religious tourism on the invitation of Uganda’s Embassy in Doha. They will also attend the ongoing Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) at Munyonyo Resort, Kampala city. POATE yesterday, May 20 and will end on May 24. 

During their visit to Iqra Secondary School, headteacher Sheikh Noordin Debene said the mixed community school caters for all students regardless of their religious affiliation.

“We request our visitors that when they go back to Qatar, let them lobby for support to the school for the construction of a modern Mosque; new school infrastructure like classes, dormitory and kitchen and a perimeter wall, among others. School resources like computers, textbooks and projectors, construction of a modern health centre, a school with storeyed buildings, a shopping mall, a vocational skilling centre and an auditorium, hence boosting the promotion of religious tourism at a local level,” Debene said.

However, in response to Debene’s requests, Kezaala and also the president of Busoga Africa Muslim Jamat, said he had presented a report about the school projects to Qatar Charity in Doha, but unfortunately, funding has taken long to be realised due to the ban imposed on Qatar Charity.

He said the charity is not allowed to send money out of the country because of the ongoing Gaza war.

Kezaala notified the school’s administration that visitors who came were only travel agents who would fundraise for the projects on an individual basis, adding that his aim to invite travel agents to visit Uganda was to interest them in luring Qataris to visit Uganda and enjoy various tourism activities and also promote faith-based tourism.

Sheikh Ahamada Izurdin Kibirige said that the proposed modern mosque to be constructed is expected to accommodate over 5,000 Muslims, and all projects will be worth $8 million, and all plans were submitted to Qatar Charity.

Nadeem Ulde from Ali Bin Ali International Travel and Tourism promised that they will do their best as travel agents to support in whatever way they can in the different projects that were introduced to them.

Later, the delegation visited Aisha Memorial Centre, located opposite Jinja High Court premises. Which cares for over 350 orphans.

They also visited Busowooko resort along the River Nile.