Kayongo vows to take over Kampala mosques

[ByaseL]

Kayongo preaching to Muslims during the Friday prayers on William Street in Kampala. He vowed to seize Nakasero and Old Kampala mosques


By Eddie Ssejjoba

HUNDREDS of Muslim supporters of the Kibuli-based rival mufti, Sheikh Zubair Kayongo, jammed Kampala’s William Street at the disputed Noor Mosque on Friday, blocking traffic for most of the day.

It was the first time Kayongo held prayers at the mosque, which is at the centre of his dispute with Mufti Sheikh Shabban Mubajje.

The plot where the mosque is located was sold to city tycoon Drake Lubega by Hassan Basajjabalaba, who had leased it from the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.

Speaking to the Muslims amid chants of ‘Allah Akbar’ (God is Great), Kayongo said conducting the prayers at the mosque successfully was proof of their victory against Mubajje.

He declared that their next target would be taking over the seat of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council in Old Kampala.

Kayongo vowed that his faction would also take over Nakasero Mosque, which is currently controlled by the leader of the Tabliq sect, Sheikh Kakeeto, whom he accused of being compromised.

Kayongo denied that he was appointing parallel district Kadhis or taking over the powers of the supreme council.

The High Court recently issued an interim-order, banning Kayongo from appointing district kadhis or purporting to be the mufti.

Sheikh Muzaata Batte, at the prayers, said they were no longer interested in any reconciliation moves with Mubajje’s group. He insisted that they were only interested in evicting Mubajje from the Old Kampala seat.

Recently, President Yoweri Museveni offered to facilitate reconciliation between the two Muslim factions.

The Metropolitan Kampala commander, Andrew Sorowen, said the Police allowed the break-away Muslim faction to conduct their prayers in the area because the mosque was not under the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council leadership.

The prayers were attended by MPs Elias Lukwago (DP), Lubega Kaddunabbi (NRM), Latif Ssebaggala (DP) and Hussein Kyanjo (Jeema).

Kyanjo told the crowd that he had taken the initiative to talk to Mufti Mubajje, advising him to apologise to the Muslims over the sale of their property.

“He promised me to do so but up to now he has not,” he said.