Nakibinge: Muslim infighting must end

By Abdul Wahid Kakande

Prince Kassim Nakibinge Kakungulu, the titular head of the Muslim community in Uganda, has urged Muslims to put aside their longstanding differences and unite in pursuit of the community’s social and economic development.

Speaking on June 25 while commissioning a three-storeyed classroom block at Namungoona Salaf Primary School on the outskirts of Kampala, Nakibinge said continued infighting had become counterproductive and was undermining efforts to build a stronger Muslim community.

“We need to rise above the disagreements we have as a community. There is no need to keep fighting one another because, at the end of the day, we are all working to please Allah,” he said.

He, however, stressed that calls for unity should not be misconstrued as a licence to mismanage communal assets.

“That, however, does not mean we should mismanage Muslim properties. We have a duty to preserve these assets for future generations,” he added.

Nakibinge’s remarks come against the backdrop of a long-running leadership dispute within Uganda’s Muslim community that resurfaced in 2009 after a section of leaders at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) accused the Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, of mismanaging Muslim properties.

The fallout culminated in the establishment of the Office of the Supreme Mufti (OSM) at Kibuli Mosque, creating a parallel Muslim administration that continues to operate alongside the UMSC.

His appeal for reconciliation was particularly significant as it was made at Namungoona Salaf Primary School, an institution historically associated with the Salaf movement. Nakibinge attended the function alongside the Supreme Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi.

The school sits on only two acres of land after reportedly losing 28 acres to alleged land grabbers. The land originally formed part of the estate of Prince Nuhu Mbogo Kyabasinga, Nakibinge’s grandfather, who donated it for the establishment of the school.

“Over time, I heard about the disputes surrounding this land, but I did not want to get involved before fully understanding the issues,” Nakibinge said.

According to Sheikh Sulaiman Mutebi, the school’s headteacher, much of the land was sold off by self-seeking individuals before efforts were made to recover part of it.

“Prince Nakibinge played a key role in helping us redeem part of the land. It was therefore fitting to invite him to commission the new building, which has been named in honour of his grandfather, Prince Nuhu Mbogo, who donated the land,” Mutebi said.

Nakibinge commended the school’s management and members of the Muslim community who contributed towards reclaiming the property, urging them to ensure communal assets remain protected.

“I thank everyone who contributed financially towards recovering this property from those who wanted to grab it. However, avoid registering Muslim properties in the names of individuals. These assets belong to the entire Muslim community, and we must safeguard them,” he said.

The Supreme Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi, echoed the call for better stewardship of Muslim property, urging leaders to ensure community assets are properly documented and legally protected.

“If a mu’adhin can embezzle more than Shs300 million, what about the leaders? We must safeguard our properties so that they are not grabbed,” Galabuzi said.

Rubaga North MP Abubaker Kawalya commended the school’s management for investing in education, saying the new facility would improve learning conditions for pupils.

The newly commissioned classroom block provides additional teaching space and other facilities, easing congestion and enhancing the learning environment at Namungoona Salaf Primary School.