Nalwaddda Nsangi
Arua-Hundreds of Muslims in Arua Muslim district that recently denounced allegiance to Uganda Supreme Council, a body that unites all Muslims in Uganda have established a new mosque in River Oli division in Arua Municipality under their new Supreme Khadi Sheik Abdallai Vuni
The Hijira Mosque is still makeshift shelter covered with tarpaulins and also doubles as the main headquarter of the Muslims under the administration of Sheikh Suleiman Ndirangwa, the Supreme Mufti of Uganda with offices in Kibuli.
"We are still Muslims, its only that we shifted allegiance from UMSC to Kibuli," said Miria Ahmed Miria, the administrative secretary of the break group.
The new formation is opposed to the administration of Sheik Shaban Abu Jafer, who was installed as the new District Khadi of Arua by Skeik Ramathan Shaban Mubajje on the 15th October, 2018, for a period of 1 year on probation.
From the time Abu took over office from then the interim District Khadhi Sheik Abdullai Vuni, the Arua Musllim leadership got divided with many crossing over from Sheik Ramathan Shaban Mubajje led Uganda Muslim Supreme Council to Ndirangwa’s faction.
"The reason is we want to be independent, having stayed under UMSC for the last 32 years, we show no benefit completely," Miria said.
Lemeriga Fadil, the spokesperson of the new group said the Kibuli faction was more developmental. He said they have seen Kibuli host an Islamic University in Uganda, open the first owned Muslim primary teacher college and run a hospital unlike the Old kampala faction.
On November 9, 2018, police and the army fired teargas and live bullets to disperse the Kibuli affiliated Arua Muslims over alleged plot to take over Muktar Mosque as their Arua base and it is for this reason that the aggrieved Muslims decided to establish their own mosque which was officially launched last week
Sheik Khasim Khemis who subscribes to the administration of Old Kampala said that people should not make a farce over the break away because these are just associations intended to create peace and harmony within the Muslim faith
"Changing administration doesn’t mean that one has gone out of Islam, these are organisations which are neither a pillar nor a rule in Islam, they are just for mobilising Muslims for better administration," Khemis said.
