Police fire volleys of tear gas at muslim protestors

By Vision Reporter

Police on Thursday afternoon fired volleys of tear gas at a Kibuli based Muslim faction led by Sheik Zubair Kayongo as they marched to the national mosque to protest againt the elections of muslim leaders. The elections are due tomorrow.

Police intercepted the group at Pride Theatre as they headed for Old Kampla chanting Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar.

Kayongo and his supporters have been mounting pressure on the UMSC administration to suspend the elections to pave way for the constitutional review process.

However, the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council rejected the proposal forcing Kayongo to mobilize his supporters to boycott the polls. But Kavuma says they will not stop the process because the demands by Kayongo are unfounded.

For so many years, Sheik Kayongo has been trying to oust the Mufti Sheik Shaban Mubajje whom he has accused of mismanagement exacerbating division amongst Muslims.

Mubajje was elected mufti on December 11, 2000 at Hotel Africana, one of the rare occasions when Muslims exhibited unity. His election momentarily brought to an end years of infighting within the fraternity that had split into factions.

Nine years earlier, rival groups had fought at old Kampala mosque, leading to loss of lives.

Three years later, in 1994, Sheikhs Ahmed Mukasa and Saad Luwemba (RIP) publicly tussled over a microphone at Kololo during a national function —each claiming to be the rightful representative of Uganda Muslims.

During his inauguration speech, Mubajje promised to unite Muslims, saying he was neither attached to Saudi Arabia or Libya. He also promised far ranging reforms, including changing sections of the constitution that he deemed out of touch.
In 2006, it emerged that the grey-bearded cleric had connived with some officials at UMSC to sell off Muslim property.

However the Mufti won the resulting court battle. A section of faithfuls led by vocal cleric, Nuhu Muzaata, denounced him and called for his removal. This group has indeed vowed to choose its own Mufti.

Mubajje is now 56 years and under the current Muslim constitution, he can only leave office when he clocks 75 in 2030.
But in the aftermath of the court ruling, he told Muslims at Old Kampala mosque that he did not intend to be in office for more than 10 years––not beyond 2011.