District Kadhis Disassociate Themselves From Sheikh Ssemambo

Regional Assistants to the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramadan Mubaje, along with District Kadhis and their deputies, have distanced themselves from Sheikh Abdullah Ssemambo.

Ssemambo was recently appointed as acting Mufti during a Special General Assembly held at the end of last year.

This disassociation forms part of the five key resolutions endorsed by the nine regional assistants to the Mufti, 70 Kadhis, and 50 deputy Kadhis during their meeting at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) Conference hall on Thursday. It is important to note that the Kadhis are integral members of the UMSC General Assembly.

The regional assistants to the Mufti and Kadhis also condemned the 25 members of the general assembly who participated in the unauthorized meeting held at Ggangu Muslim Primary School in Busabala, Wakiso district, as it violated the UMSC constitution.

Furthermore, they urged the government and its agencies to utilize the UMSC constitution for resolving Muslim affairs. They specifically requested Justice Faridah Bukirwa Ntambi to refer to the UMSC constitution when reviewing the judicial orders that led to the Ggangu meeting and the subsequent appointment of Sheikh Ssemambo as acting Mufti.

Before finalizing the resolutions, the UMSC Secretary General, Hadji Abbas Ssekyanzi Muluubya, informed the members that the petition leading to the court orders for the special meeting was filed in May of the previous year, rather than as a result of the last UMSC General Assembly.

“It’s crucial not to be deceived that this petition was a consequence of the General Assembly held in November 2023. It was filed earlier on. We submitted our arguments, and the judge promised to deliver her judgment within three weeks, but the Court did not rule until after the last General Assembly,” he clarified.

He urged the regional assistants and Kadhis to reassure Muslims that everything is stable in their respective offices, encouraging them to carry out their duties as usual.

Additionally, he informed them that they had notified the Inspector General of Police (IGP) about the court order halting the implementation of the Ggangu resolutions.

“It is now your responsibility to ensure that nobody disrupts your areas until the court reviews this matter,” he emphasized.

During the same meeting, Sheikh Ramadan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda, commended his assistants and Kadhis for their steadfastness in the face of bribery.

“I had deployed several spies to monitor the situation. Thank you for standing up for the truth. Unlike in the past, this time you behaved as expected. I have taken note of all the Kadhis who attended this meeting. We have 78 Kadhis, but eight were absent with genuine excuses. We will follow up with the others to understand why they couldn’t make it,” he stated.

“After the constitutional amendment with the assistance of the government and the establishment of various administrative structures, our remaining focus is to provide services to Muslims, consolidate our constitution, and avoid fighting for positions. Anyone attempting to take shortcuts in this regard will fail,” he added.

He also urged his assistants and Kadhis to assure Muslims that the proposed auction of Muslim property is no longer under consideration.

“We have acknowledged Justus Katabahwa’s payment, and we are prepared to settle with him without resorting to fundraising, as some of our colleagues were suggesting,” he assured.

Katabahwa had paid 3.5 billion Shillings for the UMSC ranch in Ssembabule, but the transaction faced obstacles due to opposition from squatters and other settlers on the land.

The UMSC National Chairperson, Prof. Dr Muhammadi Lubega Kisambira, urged the regional assistants to the Mufti and Kadhis to advise Muslims to disregard the propaganda being spread on social media and some media outlets.

“It is embarrassing to see even well-known media houses like Bukedde, CBS, and BBS TV involved in spreading fake news and misinformation. They publish something contrary to what the court has stated,” he lamented.

“You need to inform our people of the truth. Nobody is taking away Muslim property. Some of you have been calling me to inquire whether you are still Kadhis. Were you appointed as Kadhis over the radio? The processes, tools, and functions used to elect our leaders are well-known,” he asserted.

He emphasized that the courts cannot determine who the Mufti of Uganda is.

“What happened is akin to three of us complaining about the president and the court allowing us to convene a meeting where we elect our president, dismiss parliament, and the speaker. Does that make sense to you?” he questioned.