The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) is moving to establish stringent controls over Islamic theological schools (Madarasas) and leaders of mosques (Imams) across the country. According to the UMSC secretary-general, Ramathan Mugalu, this is intended to weed out “wrong elements” that use Islam to promote selfish political agendas.
Mugalu told a news conference on Wednesday at the USMC headquarters that the apex Muslim body in the country had discovered that so many people were using Islam for selfish reasons and in the process giving a negative image to the beautiful faith.
“They try to use Islam for politics and economics among other aspects,” Mugalu told the news conference. We have learned lessons from the Middle East where a person who claimed to head a caliphate [Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)] was not a Muslim though he had [studied] Islam.”
The development comes in the wake of renewed raids on Mosques and arrests of Muslims by government security operatives. Security has in most cases linked the suspects to terrorism-related charges.
On November 28, 2022, plain-clothes security personnel raided Nakasero Mosque in Kampala and arrested the deputy head of the Jamu-iyyat Tabligh Da-awah As-Salafiyya, Sheikh Yahya Ramathan Mwanje over what the army explained as security-related investigation. The Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) that detained the Sheikh for about eight days told a group of Muslim MPs moments before he was granted bail that the cleric was being investigated in connection to the recent spate of attacks on police outposts in which some lives and guns were lost. The MPs were also told that the investigation could widen to include possible treason and terrorism-related charges.
What is unclear at the moment is whether the move by UMSC has the hand of the country’s security chiefs. Mugalu’s statements could however not hide the possible link with security agencies much as he tried to limit his arguments to the protection of the image of Islam.
“We have heard about Boko Haram [in Nigeria], the one who heads the group has never studied Islam. He was interviewed by the BBC and when asked about how much Islam he knows, the only word he could say is, “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…” There are similar cases of people bearing Islamic names and presenting themselves to be on Jihad,” Mugalu said.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
To eliminate the wrong elements, Mugalu said, all Mosque Imams are required to register with UMSC and must be in possession of an A-level certificate. If this is to be effected, it could leave most mosques without Imams since the majority of them are headed by Imams who never attended secular education classes. A few among them who undertook a duo-curriculum did not go beyond O-level under the secular curriculum.
UMSC also wants proprietors of Islamic theological schools to register and start implementing a syllabus it has developed.
“We now have a well streamlined syllabus for the three levels [Ibtida (Primary), I’dadi (O-level) and Thanawi (A-level)],” Mugalu said.
