Kibuli gives up on Mubaje, to focus on own agenda

By Jafar Mugera

The Supreme Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi, has in a veiled statement urged District Kadhis and other leaders under his administration to abandon any plans or thoughts of attempting to unseat the Old Kampala-based Muslim leadership.

Speaking during a leadership training workshop for Kadhis held on May 22 at Kibuli—under the theme “Ethical governance and accountability: A strategy for institutional development“—Sheikh Galabuzi emphasized that his administration is more focused on implementing its own agenda rather than seeking to take over leadership elsewhere.

“It should not cross your minds that one day we will leave this place to seize leadership elsewhere,” he said, in an apparent reference to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) headquarters at Old Kampala.

The Office of the Supreme Mufti (OSM), headquartered at Kibuli hill near Kampala, was established in 2009 as a breakaway faction following a bitter split at Old Kampala after some leaders within the UMSC accused the Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubaje of irregularly selling off Muslim properties.

For 16 years, the Kibuli-based leadership has tried in vain to dislodge Mubaje from the UMSC headquarters. However, if Sheikh Galabuzi’s recent remarks are anything to go by, this is no longer a priority for Kibuli.

“Our focus is the development of Islam in Uganda. Avoid getting distracted by other interests and use your offices to serve Islam,” Galabuzi told the Kadhis drawn from across the country.

He cautioned clerics aligned with the Kibuli administration against using facilities known to belong to the Old Kampala leadership.

He cited the use of marriage certificates issued by UMSC at ceremonies conducted by Sheikhs who subscribe to the Kibuli leaders, warning that it is against the OSM code of conduct.

Addressing the clerics, Prince Kassim Nakibinge expressed satisfaction with the progress made over the past 15 years.

“When we started 15 years ago, many dismissed us as a Kampala-based group with no presence upcountry. It is heartwarming to attend a gathering like this with representation from across the entire country,” he said.

He urged the Kadhis to maintain accurate records of key statistics, including population demographics, mosques, schools, health facilities, and other social infrastructure within their areas of jurisdiction.

“It is important to know, for instance, the number of schools in your districts, how many of them belong to the Ummah, and what the Muslim student population is in those schools. This kind of data is crucial for proper planning for our community,” Nakibinge said.