Visa delays cloud Hajj plans for hundreds of Ugandan pilgrims
By Jaffar Mugera and Abu Ssettumba
Anxious anticipation is turning into quiet panic among Ugandan Muslims, as at least 460 prospective pilgrims face the possibility of missing the Hajj 2026.
The affected group had registered through Majlis Hijjah and Umrah Tours and Travel, a company affiliated with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), as well as Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services, and at least 20 smaller firms that broke ranks with the officially recognised Uganda Bureau of Hajj Affairs (UBHA) late last year.
On March 20, UBHA confirmed that 1,400 Hajj visas allocated to Uganda had been issued to accredited travel agencies under its coordination. The date was coincided with the final deadline set by Saudi Arabia for global visa processing, after which no extensions would be granted to enable the logistical and security organisation ahead of Hajj.
UBHA also indicated that the first group of Ugandan pilgrims is expected to depart on May 14, provided arrangements remain on schedule.
For the 460 pilgrims outside this framework, the situation remains far less certain. Through their respective WhatsApp groups—set up to ease communication—intending pilgrims were assured that their visas would be ready by April 1. At least 75 of them registered through UMSC, with the largest share signing up under Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services.
“We didn’t apply for the visas through the Uganda Hajj Bureau, as suggested in circulating videos. We applied independently, and our visas were successfully approved. Issuance will commence from April 15 through May. We are aware of the ongoing reports in the news and on social media; please trust that we operate independently from other organisations. Thank you for your patience,” reads a slightly edited message posted on the Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services WhatsApp group.
A similar message was shared on a WhatsApp group run by UMSC. Some pilgrims were also privately assured that the visas would be ready by April 1—a deadline that passed quietly as the April 15 date also came and went without any visas being issued.
Behind the scenes, hopes now rest on possible diplomatic intervention by the Ugandan government, though it remains unclear what room for negotiation still exists.
The main challenge faced by UMSC and its partner is timing, as pilgrims from other countries have already begun arriving in the Saudi Kingdom. With systems already in motion, late inclusions are rare.
Officials from both UMSC and Makkah-Madinah Hajj Services have so far declined to speak publicly, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the fate of those affected.
GENESIS
The standoff traces back to January, when UMSC moved to uproot UBHA as the body responsible for managing Hajj affairs in Uganda. This followed
The Mufti, Shaban Ramathan Mubaje, justified the decision by citing what he described as persistent mismanagement of the pilgrimage process. UBHA, however, fought back, with its leadership insisting the action lacked legal grounding.
Despite the dispute, Saudi authorities ultimately maintained their recognition of UBHA as Uganda’s sole official Hajj coordinator for 2026. That decision effectively sidelined UMSC and its partner agency from the formal visa allocation process.
