Wakiso Kadhi to Start Goats Project for Imams

Wakiso District Khadi, Sheikh Erias Kigozi has embarked on a drive to change the social standing of Imams in the district. Kigozi told The Friday Call that the focus of his tenure is to change the livelihood of imams through projects that will improve their incomes.

Goat raring is one of the income-generating projects that Sheikh Kigozi is planning for the Imams. Under the project, each Imam will be given a start-up of four goats. “After one year, the goats will have produced kids. The beneficiaries will remain with the kids and give the older goats to another Imam to also start a goat farm,” Kigozi said.

 Their wives will on the other hand be enrolled in a skills training program where they are taught making charcoal, chalk, soap and tailoring.

“A woman doesn’t have to depend on the husband’s money all the time, once they are involved in productive work that adds to the household’s income, cases of domestic violence will be avoided,” Kigozi said.

Kigozi also unveiled plans to ease the process of Muslims performing Hajj and Umrah rituals. He used his recent Umrah trip to Makkah to interact with various Hajj services firms with whom an understanding was reached for the firms to work with his office to help Muslims in his district.

“All you need to do now is to make your intention to perform Hajj or Umrah then come and register with the office. You will be expected to keep depositing money for a specified term depending on your ability. Once the time for Hajj or Umrah reaches we shall look through the list and see who can receive a top-up,” he said.

The target is to increase the number of Muslims performing Hajj and Umrah from the district. “Last year we took ten Imams for Hajj but we want to see the number increase to 20 this year and more the next year,” he said.

He explained that the program is aimed at avoiding a situation where Muslims rush to sell their property to raise money for the pilgrimage. “We don’t want our people to get excited after attending shukur [Thanksgiving] of those returning from Hajj to rush and sell their property, land, or motorcycle to raise money for Hajj,” he said.