Ugandan religious leaders protest continued closures

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Interreligious Council of Uganda-IRCU plans to meet the Health Ministry to expressed dissatisfaction over the continued closure of places of worship, the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje has revealed.

According to Sheikh Mubaje, they resolved this during their meeting on Thursday. Sheikh Mubaje is the current chair of the IRCU Council of Presidents, which brings together leaders of mainstream religious groups in the country.

“During our meeting we expressed dissatisfaction on the continued closure of places of worship. Yet some places with very many people are operating,” Sheikh Mubaje said.

Adding that, “We want to get an explanation from the Ministry of Health, which advises the president why places of worship are still closed yet we put in place Standard Operating Procedures,” he said.

While announcing the lifting of the 42 day lockdown imposed to contain the second wave of COVID-19 on July 30th, 2021, president, Yoweri Museveni said places of worship will remain closed for 60 days.

Sheikh Mubaje says they want Ministry of Health to explain the logic of the additional days of the lock down placed on the places of worship.

He explained that as religious leaders they have been receiving endless queries from their followers why houses of worship are still closed.

“Some of our people need to be guided. We need these places opened under the SOPs we put in place. We expect to meet Ministry of Health next week and expect a positive response,” he said shortly after scientific Friday prayers at Gaddafi National mosque at Old Kampala hill.

The Mufti also explained that they decided to hold the scientific Juma with a small group of worshippers so as to send out a message to Muslims who were following on line.

“We held a scientific Juma at old Kampala to enable our brothers at home to follow. It doesn’t mean that mosques are open. We are still under lockdown because of the presidential directives,” he said.