Makkah-Madinah Hajj bureau cements partnership with journalists

By Jafar Mugera

At least six members of the Muslim Journalists Taqaddum Sacco Ltd are set to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah under a partnership the cooperative society entered into with Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services. The journalists, along with some family members, are part of a larger group of over 180 pilgrims who registered for the January 2025 Umrah. They will depart for Saudi Arabia in three groups on January 18, 19, and 22, aboard Ethiopian Airlines.
enables journalists to perform the pilgrimage at a subsidised rate. On Sunday, the Sacco hosted the pilgrims at a luncheon at the headquarters of the Nile Humanitarian Development Agency in Muyenga near Kampala. Sheikh Kassim Kayira, Taqaddum Sacco’s pioneer chairperson, praised the cooperation agreement, saying it would facilitate many journalists’ participation in the Hajj or Umrah through a convenient savings scheme.

“This cooperation will aid many
journalists who wish to go for Hajj or Umrah, and do it conveniently given the mechanism in place, especially through the saving scheme in the Sacco. This is how one of our members was able to pay for her trip,” Sheikh Kayira said. Through the partnership, Muslim journalists now have a chance to share their firsthand Hajj and Umrah experiences with their wider audiences. Hajji Ali Kajubi, a director at Makkah- Madinah Hajj Services, expressed delight at working with Muslim journalists for a noble cause. He encouraged the journalists to utilise their cooperative society to save for the life-changing journey.
“I will give you the example of some traders at Ham shopping mall. They make small monthly savings and have been able to collect money to facilitate some of their members for the pilgrimage,” Kajubi said. Kajubi emphasised that his agency prioritises facilitating Ugandan Muslims’ participation in Hajj and Umrah over
profit. He shared his personal experience of being abandoned in Makkah during a previous Hajj, which motivated him and others to establish Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services.
“The idea was borne out of our experiences at the Hajj when we [directors in the firm] were nearly abandoned in some building in Makkah. We wondered why, despite charging high fees, the firms in this trade were not giving the pilgrims value for money. We came in to make a difference,” Kajubi said. Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services stands out as a leader in affordable Hajj services, offering unbeatable market rates without compromising on quality.
“For us, it is about facilitating as many Ugandans as possible to perform the Hajj or Umrah; it is not about how much profit we will make. Even if we don’t make any profit, Allah will reward us,” he said
Hajji Isa Kirarira of the Nile Humanitarian Development Agency commended the unity among Muslim journalists.