Mubaje calls for cooperation to bolster East African integration
Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda, has stressed the importance of cooperation to strengthen East African integration.
He delivered this message during memorial prayers (duwah) for the late Yusuf Isigoma, also known as Fawu, a prominent trader and father of Dr. Ismail Gainamungu, a UMSC Executive Member.
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The event, held in Bugango Town Council, Bukanga County, near the Uganda-Tanzania border in Isingiro District, was part of the Mufti’s visit to the Ankole-Kigezi Muslim Region.
He also visited Shuhada'e Secondary School and Primary Section in Namitanga, Mbarara, where he was warmly welcomed by headteachers, staff, and students.
Mubaje emphasised that religious differences should not create division, but rather, shared blood ties should encourage cooperation.
He highlighted his role in founding the Inter-religious Council of Uganda and the African Council of Religious Leaders for Peace, which he co-chairs with a Zambian prelate.
As an Executive Member of the World Council of Religions for Peace International, based at the United Nations in New York, he advocates for global peace.
He urged Muslims to live righteously and be exemplary in their communities, expressing gratitude to school administrators and parents for their role in educating the youth.
Addressing the students, he encouraged them to remain God-conscious, disciplined, and respectful to succeed and grow into responsible citizens.
During the memorial prayers, the Mufti underscored the importance of raising children with strong values.
He praised the late Yusuf Isigoma for his parenting efforts, which he said are reflected in Dr. Gainamungu’s character describing him as composed, humorous, a unifier, pious, and dedicated to community Islamic activities.
“What I have seen here, and the large turnout, is a testament to the good nature of Yusuf Isigoma. Emulate him by striving to live righteously and contribute to your communities,” Sheikh Mubaje preached.
He urged the family, especially Isigoma’s children and widows, to stay united. He also called on Muslims to support UMSC’s developmental projects.
Before Sheikh Mubaje’s address, Prof Muhammadi Lubega Kisambira, UMSC National Chairperson, spoke passionately about the UMSC’s Self-Sustainability Agribusiness Project to boost household incomes.
He also shared a humorous analogy inspired by former Ugandan President Idi Amin, who once advised Ugandan boxers to deliver knockout punches to avoid biased refereeing.
Prof. Kisambira likened this to encouraging Muslims to marry multiple wives and have many children, to ensure Muslim representation in future censuses.
Hadji Abbas Muluubya Ssekyanzi, UMSC Secretary General, provided updates on UMSC’s current affairs. Dr. Sheikh Ziyad Swaleh Lubanga, the Director of Sharia, served as the Guest Preacher, while Sheikh Abdu-Karim Abdallah Katamba, the Ankole-Kigezi Muslim Regional Assistant to the Mufti, and Sheikh Kassim Ahmad Nsamba, the Isingiro Muslim District Kadhi, also addressed the gathering. Dr. Gainamungu shared family history, noting that Yusuf Isigoma left behind 42 children.
Before returning to Kampala, the Mufti and his entourage visited Murema hill, a historic site where Muslims fleeing from Buganda during the religious wars first settled in the Ankole Kingdom.
Sheikh Mubaje was impressed by the ongoing construction of a mosque and county headquarters, initiated by the County Sheikh.
On behalf of UMSC, he pledged 50 bags of cement for the project, with additional pledges from Prof. Lubega and Sheikh Dr. Ziyad Swaleh Lubanga.
