Hajj Fraud: Sheikh recounts how he and hundreds more were duped

By Ahmed Idriss

For years, Sheikh Kizito Musisi, a resident of Butebo Town Council in eastern Uganda’s Butebo district, had been saving in hopes of performing Hajj—the sacred pilgrimage to Makkah. He aspired to undertake the journey this year, but as the holy month of Ramadhan approached in February, his hopes began to fade because of his insufficient savings.

Just a few weeks before Ramadhan began, he travelled to Mubende to attend a burial. There, a friend, Sheikh Ali Badru, informed him about Hajji Ismail Akabwai, the director of Hijri Ismael Travels Ltd, who had secured a donation of $400,000 (more than Shs 1.4 billion) from a Dubai-based Arab philanthropist to support at least 50 Ugandans to perform Hajj this year. Each beneficiary was only required to pay an administrative fee of Shs 3 million.

At that point, Musisi was considering using his savings to perform Umrah instead. However, his friend Badru reassured him that the Arab philanthropist had already transferred the donation to Hajji Akabwai’s account.

To confirm the story, Musisi consulted another acquaintance, identified only as Ssemwogerere, whom he met in Kampala. Ssemwogerere told him that the donation was intended to support 100 pilgrims.

 “I knew Akabwai from his time at the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), where he worked under the weighbridge division. I used to supply the agency with construction materials like sand,” Musisi said.

“I called Akabwai, and he confirmed that he had already received $360,000 [over Shs 1.3 billion] to support 100 pilgrims. He advised me to secure a slot by depositing Shs 6 million in cash at his offices on Cornerstone plaza in Mengo, Kampala,” Musisi told The Friday Call, adding, “We spoke on a Saturday, and I promised to make the payment during the week. I fulfilled that promise on the following Tuesday and was issued a receipt.”

After making the deposit, Musisi traveled to Mubende and informed Akabwai. “He then asked me to pay Shs 120,000 for the COVID-19 and the yellow fever vaccination cards, which I did,” Musisi said.

Later, Musisi returned to the Mengo office, where Hajjati Sumaya Nakanwagi informed him that the donor had sent the remaining balance and that Akabwai had traveled to Makkah to arrange accommodation for the pilgrims. Upon his return, Akabwai reportedly claimed to have secured additional funding and announced plans to charter a flight to transport at least 500 pilgrims.

“After Ramadhan, I called Badru for an update. He asked whether I was in the WhatsApp group, and when I said no, he added me immediately. However, the group was not active,” Musisi recounted. When he questioned the silence in the group, Nakanwagi posted a message claiming that 98 percent of the arrangements had been completed.

‘Donor Arrested’

A few days later, she shared another message stating that their lawyers had traveled to Dubai to meet the donor—something that raised Musisi’s suspicions. “I immediately contacted Hajjati Nakanwagi to ask why a lawyer was now involved in our travel, especially since we had been told everything was already finalised. That is when she told me that whoever had said everything was settled had lied to us,” he said.

In comes Keddi Foundation 

Nakanwagi later told them that the supposed donor had been arrested and was now reporting to the police. She sent him a video clip from Salaam TV, in which Steven Eric Zuluba Keddi, the founder of Keddi Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, announced an offer to sponsor 500 pilgrims.

Later, Nakanwagi informed Musisi that Keddi had run into problems and that the $360,000 previously deposited into their accounts had been recalled. When Musisi questioned why they were initially told the sponsor was an Arab, his concerns were dismissed.

Hajjati Nakanwagi later advised Musisi to top up his initial Shs 6 million deposit to Shs 19 million to join a different group of 270 pilgrims. However, by then, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj Affairs had already closed the visa application portal.

“She claimed that despite the closure, Zakaria Kyewalyanga, chairperson of the Uganda Bureau of Hajj Affairs, had traveled to Makkah to negotiate for additional visas,” Musisi said.

Musisi later heard of a meeting between Hajji Ismail Akabwai and 14 victims in Mubende. He traveled there, but Akabwai did not show up. Eventually, in a meeting attended by Hajji Lule Umar Mawiya, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Akabwai committed to refunding Shs 92.5 million to the victims within two months.

“When asked about others like me, he said my case was unique because I had taken legal action through the small claims court, which ordered him to pay me within 14 days,” Musisi added.

 The Keddi Foundation, which had pledged to sponsor 500 pilgrims this year, has distanced itself from the scandal.

According to national coordinator Ali Muhinda (aka Prince Igwe), the plan was postponed due to unforeseen issues.

“We don’t collect money or issue forms. These fraudsters are misusing our name—we have no links to them,” Muhinda said during a press conference in Mbale.

At a farewell dua for 135 pilgrims under the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) and Umra Department, Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje confirmed receiving similar scam reports from Bugisu and North Eastern Uganda.

“Many paid but will not travel. Those responsible must be arrested and prosecuted,” the Mufti said, warning against the commercialization of Hajj, a sacred pillar of Islam.