Terrorism has no tribe or religion, be professional – Prince Nakibinge advises security

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Prince Kassim Nakibinge has called upon security agencies to desist from associating Islam and Muslims to criminality and terrorism in particular.

Prince Nakibinge was speaking at the swearing-in event of the new Supreme Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi at Kibuli mosque.

The Prince expressed dismay that security agencies continue to blame Muslims for terror acts and hence called for professionalism among security agencies and justice to the population.

“Stop thinking that there is a religion which has terrorists to an extent that whenever something happens, you turn your eyes to them,” said Prince Nakibinge. “You might miss the real criminal thinking that because they are not from the profiled religion, then they can’t be the criminals.”

Following the recent twin bombings, security released a list of names of alleged terror suspects arrested while trying to sneak out of the country to go to DRC. The UPDF Spokesperson Flavia Byekwaso read out the names during a press briefing asking journalists to pay attention to the names (because they were Muslim names).

Prince Nakinbinge says for someone to possess a Muslim or Arabic name doesn’t automatically mean that they are Muslim. He referred to history where former rebels making up the ruling government adopted Muslim names during their bush times. The president himself has publicly said that he was called Kassim.

Others who adopted Arabic names and still use them are Salim Saleh, the president’s brother, and the late Shaban Bantariza who was a Catholic clergyman at the time of gong to the bush, among others. Prince Nakibinge also condemned extrajudicial killings of terror suspects by security agencies and wondered why security doesn’t deploy enough manpower when going to arrest the suspected terrorists. Recently, following the Kampala City twin bombings, security personnel killed a Muslim cleric Sheikh Abbas Kirevu for allegedly trying to resist arrest.

“You say you kill them when they are defiant, why don’t you mobilize enough manpower?” asked Prince Nakibinge. “When you are going to arrest politicians, you go in large numbers. If you deployed a hundred security officers, how would a suspect attempt to escape?”

He further called upon all Ugandans to maintain law and order and to shun acts of terrorism.

The Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Hajjat Minsa Kabanda also attended the swearing-in of Sheikh Galabuzi.

She used the moment to condemn acts of terrorism that are blamed on Muslims. She says there could be people disguising themselves as Muslims to commit such crimes. She called upon anyone with information regarding the acts of terrorism to surrender it to help with security investigations.

Meanwhile, the Minister also congratulated the new Supreme Mufti and urged him and his team to offer true service to Islam. She called upon Muslims to unite and serve the country.

Galabuzi who was announced this week now replaces Sheikh Siliman Ndirangwa who resigned from the position seven months ago.

The Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda Twaha Kawaase congratulated the supreme Mufti and urged him to listen to what happens at the Mengo establishment and be loyal. He urged him to be a link between Islam and Buganda and also support Buganda in different efforts.

Sheikh Ssebuggwawo Kibaate, who has been Acting Supreme Mufti urged Galabuzi and his team to build a good working relationship with people they find at the Kibuli office. He told them to plan for the Muslim community, guide and lead with a lot of wisdom.

He warned them of people who will turn backs on them and encouraged them to always remember the service to Allah. Kibaate also urged them to be respectful, trustworthy, and principled.

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