UMSC lauded for shs 700 Million self-sustainability project launch
Deputy Press Secretary to President Museveni, Faruk Kirunda, has commended the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) for launching a self-sustainable project worth Shs 700 million.
This initiative aims to boost household incomes for Muslims and other community members.
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Mr. Kirunda expressed his support during a meeting at the UMSC headquarters on Wednesday, which was organized to evaluate a field report prepared by a technical team.
The team assessed the readiness of various committees tasked with implementing the projects across ten Muslim regions in Uganda.
He praised the initiative for complementing the government's poverty alleviation efforts, such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), while highlighting the UMSC's reliance on internally generated funds.
"From the developments I've seen here and the accounts from His Eminence, the Mufti, about the challenges faced by UMSC a few years ago, it is gratifying to see that the Council has generated its own funds and embarked on transformative projects without donor money," Kirunda stated.
He urged Muslim leaders to use media channels like radio and television to counter misinformation and showcase UMSC's achievements. He also promised to bring these projects to the President's attention to secure additional government financial support.
The meeting was opened by Dr. Muhammadi Lubega Kisambira, UMSC National Chairperson, who described the projects as timely, especially in encouraging ordinary Muslims, particularly women and youth, to focus on income generation.
He emphasized UMSC's growth as a self-sustaining institution and urged all officers to demonstrate dedication and passion in ensuring the projects' success.
Hadji Abbas Muluubya Ssekyanzi, UMSC Secretary General, introduced Moses Kipkemboi, a Kenyan specialist in briquette charcoal production, who is working with Hydrogen & Methanol Ltd.
Kipkemboi provided an overview of the briquette production process, which will be implemented in the Kampala Muslim region.
Following this, the field report was presented by Arinda Abdu-Razaq, Deputy Secretary General for Development and Planning, and project coordinator. The report detailed the readiness of various regions and the land earmarked for the proposed projects.
Nine of the ten Regional Assistants present provided feedback and input, leading to several resolutions, including, immediate commencement of procurement and distribution of agricultural inputs,continued regional preparations and enhanced coordination between UMSC Headquarters, regions, districts, and committees.
The meeting concluded with remarks from Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda, who recalled the challenges faced by UMSC when his administration took over in 2000.
Despite these obstacles, he highlighted the Council's achievements, including the new income-generating projects and ongoing construction efforts, before officially launching the implementation of the projects.
