UMSC marks 10 years of Greening Friday

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) on Friday marked 10 years of the Greening Friday which was officially launched in 2010 by the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje.

The main event was held at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala and Mubajje was represented by the UMSC secretary general Hajji Ramadhan Mugalu.

In his remarks, Mugalu said the annual event is organised by the council as part of its ongoing programs to promote environmental conservation.

He commended the Greening Friday coordinator and climate change icon, Hajat Aphuwa Sebyala, for promoting tree planting and mobilising Muslims all over Uganda to conserve the environment.

He was particularly impressed by this year's Greening Friday which was dedicated to Muslim women as key stakeholders in conserving the environment.

He stressed the importance of conserving nature noting that Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where the environment is conducive.

He said Muslims should be the champions of environmental conservation because it is emphasised in the Holy Quran and Hadith.

Mugalu later gave out seedlings and fruits to Muslims who attended Juma prayers.

The UMSC secretary for women and youth affairs, Radhiyyah Namakula, urged Muslim women to be champions of environmental conservation starting with their households.

She called upon friends of environmental conservation to support UMSC's ongoing efforts to save nature.

Sebyala said the Greening Fridays have made a difference because over 250,000 medicinal, timber and fruit trees have been distributed and planted since 2010, and many of them have matured.

She thanked the National Forestry Authority for partnering with UMSC to promote the environment saying that they provided 2000 trees for this year's Greening Friday.

The Greening Friday sermon was delivered by Sheikh Ali Juma Shiwuyo and the Juma prayers were led by Sheikh Hussein Rajab Kakooza, the national mosque imam.