LOP urges Muslim leadership to seek internal reconciliation

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament-LOP Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba has advised the Muslim leaders to explore internal mechanisms of reconciliation instead of looking to the government as an arbiter to their disputes. According to Mpuuga, mending fences between the warring parties is the most viable solution to solving the escalating wrangles in the Muslim leadership, which is also heightening confusion among ordinary Muslims.

Mpuuga’s comments follow renewed demands by a section of Muslim leaders in Masaka to the government to release the findings of the Professor Tarsis Kabwegyere problem into the causes of the perennial Muslim leadership wrangles in the country. During Eid prayers at Masaka main mosque, Sheikh Sulait Ssentongo, the Deputy Supreme District Khadi in charge of greater Masaka implored parliament to halt the government’s direct funding of the activities undertaken by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-UMSC.

In May this year, parliament approved a request from the government to allocate Shillings 2.5 billion for nationwide Muslim polls organized by UMSC, the umbrella body of Muslim organizations in the country. However, Sheikh Ssentongo wants parliament to first push for the release of the Kabwegyere report and the adoption of its recommendations. He says part of the causes of their divisions are still prevalent, arguing that it is high time the government accomplished the task it voluntarily undertook to find a solution.

But Mpuuga observes that demanding the release of the probe report is asking too much from the government, arguing that it is better for the warring factions to take the path of reconciliation amongst themselves as a way of defusing the protracted disputes. According to Mpuuga, he is constrained to believe that the investigations were indeed well-intentioned to build unity among the conflicting Muslim factions, owing to the government’s track records in handling similar inquiries that have remained incomplete for years.

He challenges the local Muslim leadership in Masaka to stand up and shoulder the task of initiating negotiations towards resolving the current misunderstandings, which he says greatly affects the faith more than it does the government. The call to halt funding from the government came at a time when the UMSC  General Assembly was just days away. The general assembly, which has since been dissolved discussed and approved the amended constitution on Wednesday night.

Sheikh Ashiraf Muvawala, the Spokesperson of UMSC said that they have repeatedly called for reconciliation and unity with their counterparts who have remained adamant despite the negative consequences. Even in the exercise for the UMSC constitution’s review, Muvawala says the process was open to all Muslim faithful and that majority embraced it. He added that the Old Kampala-based Muslim leadership is open to any kind of constructive discussions for the good of the Muslim community in Uganda.

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