Muslims in the country have been urged to work together and stop the divisions among different Islamic sects. The call was made by President Yoweri Museveni while speaking yesterday during a meeting with Regional and District Kadhis hailing from Busoga, Bugisu, Bukedi, Sebei and Lango Sub-Regions at State House, Entebbe, said it was important for the Muslim community to think about uniting and working together.
“You can see Arab countries such as Syria, Iraq and Yemen which had developed, have now been destroyed because people are fighting each other,” he told them.
The President told this delegation of the Muslim clerics that even though Muslims receive aid from different Muslim countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Libya, among others, it is important for them to remember that they are Ugandans first and to love their neighbors first before religion.
“In Christianity, the Bible tells us that we cannot love God whom we have never seen and hate our neighbors whom we see,” he said.
Museveni stressed the need for the establishment of an Islamic Theological School for Sheiks who study from different Muslim countries to acquire a diploma to synchronize what they have learnt and know how to apply it in the Ugandan environment.
“You can go to the United Kingdom or the United States to study law but to practice in Uganda, one has to go to the Law Development Centre first. Even the Sheiks need to get a diploma to know how to apply in Uganda what they have studied,” he said.
He then thanked the Muslim community for supporting the National Resistance Army during the fight against Idi Amin adding that “Muslims have played a big role in the development of Uganda.”
Butaleja District Kadhi Sheik Swaibu Mukama, who led the delegation, thanked President Museveni and the NRM government for restoring peace in the country, which, he observed, has in turn, led to economic growth. He also thanked the President for reconciling the Muslim factions in the country.
Sheik Mukama also commended President Museveni for his speech during the International Women’s Day in Mityana where he condemned husbands that batter their wives.
“Islam condemns beating wives,” Sheikh Mukama revealed.
President Museveni made a contribution of Shs.50 million to the Kadhi’s Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (ACCO) from the region.
