A faction within the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) General Assembly has urged the government to prevent Sheikh Shaban Mubajje, the embattled Mufti of Uganda, from representing the Muslim faith at official functions. The 264-member General Assembly, the apex decision-making body of UMSC, conveyed their request in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and other high-ranking government officials.
The letter, signed by Mr. Issa Gule, the acting national chairperson of UMSC, asserts that Sheikh Mubajje was retired from the office of the Mufti of Uganda in the public interest, effective from December 17, 2023. The assembly introduced Sheikh Abdullah Ssemambo as the acting Mufti, emphasizing the need to bar Sheikh Mubajje from official Muslim representations in the government.
The assembly cited various recommendations from commissions of inquiry against Sheikh Mubajje, focusing on his personal conduct and the recent legal attachment of UMSC headquarters and other prime properties. They attributed Sheikh Mubajje as the source of internal issues and Muslim discontent. Additionally, Dr. Lubega Muhammad Kisambira was suspended from the office of the National Chairperson of UMSC pending investigations into alleged abuse of office.
Despite these developments, the UMSC spokesperson, Mr. Ashiraf Zziwa, dismissed the contents of the letter, emphasizing that the UMSC leadership remains unchanged as per the council’s constitution. He stated that the General Assembly’s actions were nullified by the Supreme Court, and the letter should not concern the Muslim community.
The internal discord comes amid pressure for Sheikh Mubajje’s resignation due to the pending sale of prime properties to recover a significant debt. The UMSC General Assembly previously elected Sheikh Ssemambo as the acting Mufti, a move contested by Sheikh Mubajje in court. As the situation unfolds, the Muslim community remains divided over leadership disputes within the UMSC.
