Hajjat Bismillah and over 50 years of experiencing Muslim leadership

By Hafitha Issa

Hajjat Madina Nakalema, popularly known as Hajjat Bismillah, began her long journey in Muslim politics as a determined young woman from a deeply religious household in Kyamulibwa, Kalungu-Masaka District. Her father, Mwalim Twaib Zabasajja Kateregga, was a respected Muslim teacher and leader at the county (Twale) level.

From her earliest years, she watched him teach Islam to children from across the region and host prominent clerics, including the revered Sheikh Swaib Ssemakula. These experiences, she says, shaped her unwavering commitment to Islam and its leadership.

“It is Islam I grew up seeing. My father and his services are all I saw growing up, and that stuck with me,” she says softly, her eyes reflective with memory.

Raised in a busy, extended Muslim family, Nakalema recalls mornings that began with brewing 50 litres of tea—20 of which were reserved for her father and his guests. This everyday life of faith, education, and hospitality laid the foundation for what would become over five decades of service and involvement in Uganda’s Muslim affairs.

A witness to divisions in Muslim leadership

Having come of age in a time of fragmentation within Uganda’s Muslim community, Hajjat Nakalema recalls the divisions between the Juma Zukuuli, Bukoto Nateete, and Kibuli-based Muslim Community groups.

“These groups existed without going at each other’s throats,” she recalls. “They lived differently but respected each other’s principles.”

That harmony, however, deteriorated with the rise of the National Advancement of Muslims (NAM), a group linked to political power under then-President Milton Obote. Led by Haj Akbar Nekyon and later joined by Sheikh Abdul Obed Kamulegeya, NAM was instrumental in disrupting the peaceful coexistence of Muslim factions.

“They cursed others in public prayers, arrested people, and even caused deaths,” Nakalema recounts. “Security would block our Maulid gatherings, but we held them on the roadside if we had to. They couldn’t stop us.”

Rather than retreat, these challenges strengthened her resolve. Nakalema became part of the youth who defied repression and stood firm in the service of Dīn (Islam), believing it was every Muslim’s duty to protect and preserve the faith.

The unification journey under Idi Amin

As divisions intensified, the need to unify Muslims under one leadership became urgent. Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada, president of Uganda from 1972 to 1979, took on this mission. He nullified the leadership of all factions and appointed Sheikh Abdul Razaq Matovu as the first Chief Qadhi.

“When Amin went to Kabale where Sheikh Matovu was appointed, I was there. It gave us hope,” Nakalema says.

She fondly recalls welcoming Saudi King Faisal—whom she refers to as Kabaka Faizo—at Entebbe Airport ahead of Amin, a moment tied to the laying of the foundation for what would become the Gaddafi National Mosque.

Despite Amin’s efforts, conflict persisted. Sheikh Matovu was later expelled after allegations he faced the Qibla incorrectly during prayer. His removal, Hajjat insists, was politically motivated and orchestrated by the NAM leadership under Kamulegeya.

“I told him later, if he has repented and changed for the better, then that is good. He should now encourage others to return to UMSC and serve Islam.”

Choosing the Mufti: The Rise of Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje

Following the Makkah Agreement of 1986, which saw Sheikh Kamulegeya and Sheikh Qasim Mulumba step down from their respective leadership positions, interim leaders Sheikh Hussein Rajab Kakooza and Sheikh Saad Luwemba oversaw Muslim elections in 1987. Luwemba won but faced resistance from Kakooza, leading to a five-year court battle.

Eventually, Luwemba assumed office and led until his death in 1997. Then came the year 2000 elections—a turning point for Nakalema.

As the Muslim community prepared candidates for the Mufti’s seat, Nakalema had a clear choice.

“I know just the person. It’s the District Qadhi of Bagisu,” she told her husband, the late Sheikh Juma Nsamba.

Her pick was Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje. She admired his development efforts, especially the Noor Islamic Institute in Mbale, which educated students from Northern Uganda and West Nile. Her endorsement set in motion his campaign for Mufti.

“He came to me for advice. I told him, if we come to power, we must unite Muslims and construct a national headquarters.”

She recounts their early meetings—shifting one from a hotel to a more appropriate venue after Sheikh Mubaje objected to being near alcohol—and how they eventually campaigned across Uganda from a small mat-laid office in Kalungi Plaza.

Businesswoman and advocate for Dawa

Throughout her activism, Hajjat Nakalema ran a shop in Kikuubo and later a restaurant in Nabugabo before setting up her current eatery at Old Kampala, on UMSC grounds. Her business earnings funded her Dawa activities, children’s education, and her pilgrimage to Makkah.

Asked how she balanced business, faith, and family, she simply points skyward:

“When you trust Allah, He does everything.”

Property battles and loyalty to UMSC

Muslim property has been at the heart of repeated scandals. In 2008, Mufti Mubaje and Secretary General Edris Kasenene were accused of selling UMSC property on William Street. The court later acquitted them and faulted Hassan Basajjabalaba and Drake Lubega in the fraud.

Hajjat Bismillah stood with the Mufti in court. She accuses some Muslims of pretending to fight for Islam while misappropriating property gifted by President Amin.

“What did they do with the 860 properties Amin gave us? Or the $20,000 they collected? Not even a toilet was built,” she laments.

She praises Mufti Mubaje for recovering the William Street building through negotiations with its original Indian owners, especially a descendant named Hamdan.

“I may not be educated, but I won’t let anyone think for me. I believe in UMSC and the Mufti. I stand by that,” she declares.

Her greatest joy, she says, is the completion of the Gaddafi Mosque, along with the radio and TV station now run by UMSC.

A new generation of Muslim women

In her retirement, Hajjat Bismillah is mentoring young Muslim women, collecting their contacts in a well-worn black notebook she carries with her. She continues to advocate for Islamic unity, leadership, and moral service.

“Alhamdulillah,” she says. “Now it’s upon Muslims to maintain what we’ve built.”