Mubaje blasts Kololo Iftar organisers, demands for apology
The Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje has condemned the assault of Muslims during the recent distribution of iftar packages at Kololo ceremonial grounds.
On Wednesday, the Office of the National Chairperson for the ruling National Resistance Movement invited Muslims to Kololo for the distribution of Iftar packages.
The distribution coincided with the launch of Salaam Bank by President Yoweri Museveni, the first Islamic Bank in the country. However, the distribution of the Iftar packages turned chaotic forcing soldiers to clobber Muslims to contain the situation.
Several Muslims sustained severe injuries resulting from the assault by the soldiers.
Addressing Muslims shortly after the Friday prayers at the National Mosque, Mubaje condemned the assault of Muslims.
“I want to condemn what happened at Kololo. Muslims were invited that the President was going to give them iftar packages. They even invited my Regional Assistants. They called Kadhis and Imams too. But the way soldiers beat up people with sticks like animals it looks like it was premeditated because there are no sticks at Kololo,” an agitated Mubaje said.
“We are receiving reports that there are some casualties resulting from the beating. This is very bad especially that people used the name and the office the National NRM Chairperson that he had invited Muslims for iftar, but they instead ended up receiving lashes,” he added.
Videos of the beatings are making rounds on social media platforms.
Mubaje noted that the good thing the incident at Kololo happened shortly befoe the President hosted Muslims at the official annual iftar dinner at State House, Entebbe.
“If that wasn’t the case, people would think that the president was serving fasting Muslims sticks at Kololo,” he remarked.
Mubaje compared the situation at Kololo to what is happening in Palestine where Americans are airdropping food to the starving people in Gaza while supplying bombs used by the Israelis used to kill the same people.
“We call upon the organizers of the iftar distribution program at Kololo to come out openly and apologize to Muslims and the entire the country for this unfortunate event. Because this is the month of Ramadhan and Muslims got injuries instead of the packages they were promised,” he demanded.
The Mufti announced that he had instructed the social services office to organize iftar packages for the affected Muslims.
“We shall ourselves distribute the food packs on Tuesday,” he said.
