Another top muslim cleric shot dead

By Steven Candia and Farooq Kasule 

ANOTHER Muslim cleric has been gunned down in the city, four days after the murder of another top Muslim leader in Mayuge district on Christmas day. 

Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga, who about a month ago was suspended together with four others from the William Street mosque, was shot dead by unknown assailants on a boda boda on Sunday night at Bwebaja, along Entebbe road.

Bahiga who had controversially been appointed Amir Ummah by a faction loyal to him was shot dead at about 8:00pm outside the Masjid Tawfiq mosque. 

He had just driven there and police suspect that his assailants could have trailed him. Bahiga died while being rushed to Kibuli Muslim hospital. No arrest had been made by Monday morning. 

“We have our teams on the ground and we are following the matter,” Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said. 

By Monday morning, police boss Gen. Kale Kayihura who had earlier camped in Mayuge following the murder of Muwaya was expected at Kibuli.

Second murder in less than a week

Sheikh Bahiga’s killing comes hot on the heels of the murder of Sheikh Dactoor Abdu Kadir Muwaya, the leader of the Shia Muslim Community in Uganda.

Sheikh Muwaya was shot dead at his home in Mayuge district on Christmas Day at around 9.30pm local time according to police.

Unverified reports say the assailants rode off on a motorcycle after killing the Muslim cleric in Buyemba village, Bukatuube sub-county.

A very influential leader, Sheikh Muwaya had been the director of the Mayuge-based Ahlul Bait Islamic Foundation (ABIF), through which he constructed several mosques across the country and sponsored education for needy children.