Muslims want equal street space for preaching

Muslims have appealed to the government to give them an equal opportunity as Christians to preach on the streets.

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) director of Sharia, Ibrahim Kakungulu, while appearing before Parliament's legal affairs committee said whereas Pentecostals preach on the streets, Muslims cannot because it is against the law.

"There is freedom of worship. The Christians preach publically on the street. The law should be revised so that even we, Muslims are allowed to go on the street and preach," he said.

Kakungulu together with other UMSC leaders were appearing before the committee to give views on the proposed Succession Amendment Bill 2019.

According to one of the leaders who declined to be named, the Pentecostals are preaching on the street illegally.

"Although there's freedom of worship, under the equity and common law, preaching on the street is illegal. It is regarded as a public nuisance. The Pentecostals are doing it illegally. So we cannot participate in the illegality. Let the law be revised first," he said.

Members from the Uganda Muslim Uganda Muslim Supreme Council led by 1st Deputy Mufti Sheikh Abdallah Ssemambo(right), Sheikh Muhammmad Ali Wasswa(second right) and Sheikh Yahaya Kakungulu(left) appearing before the Legal committee of Parliament on 30 July 2019. Photo by Miriam Namutebi.

During the meeting, some MPs complained that UMSC has not done much to sensitise the women in the rural areas about their rights.

"The women are not well sensitized about their rights. You should go down and sensitise them on these issues of inheritance," MP Gaster Mugoya said.

Led by first deputy Mufti Sheikh Abdallah Ssemambo, the Muslims rejected the proposed amendments saying they contradict Islamic laws and the Quran that governs marriage, divorce and inheritance.

Rather, the top leaders of the Muslim faith proposed that the committee include a provision to the effect that it should not apply to Muslims who will be governed by Islamic teachings.

"Whereas the Bill might have been drafted in good faith, it strongly has no bearing whatsoever in relation to Islamic inheritance that is envisaged under the Sharia law and as envisaged under Article 129 (1)(d) of the Constitution,"  Abdu Lubega the Uganda Muslim Lawyers association chairperson noted.