MUSLIM RECONCILIATION AND UNITY SHOULD START WITH GRASS ROOT COMMUNITIES:Brothers and sisters, thank you for prayers and information and we pray to Allah to give quick recovery to our ailing elders. On Sunday June 01st we marked 20 years after the death of the late Sheikh Zaid Kateregga Mugenyasooka, former President General of Africa Muslim Community Juma Sect Bukoto Nateete. He died on June 1st 1994 at Kibuli Muslim Hospital and was buried on the same day at Bukoto-Nsimbiziwoome. The memorial duwa was held at his Ngando mosque, in Butambala District. The incumbent AMC President General told Muslims to fight for their national cake be at the centre or in the kingdom. He recalled Muslim heroes that fought for their shares during the reigns of Mwanga, Kiweewa and Muteesa ll and said that, now Muslims should only be mere drivers of big men and womens official vehicles, and they become proud of that, but they should be the officials or leaders themselves. We all uploaded him. He also said that we should retain Muslim organisation because many of them own Muslim property including land where we have mosques and schools (especially in Buganda) and in case UMSC attempt to sell it, then the legitimate owners will come out to defend and protect it. He said that Muslims did not form UMSC to surrender their property including land for sale, as it has become a syndrome. The President General who is also the Chairperson of the Supreme Council of Sheikhs at Kibuli, came with a large entourage of prominent families of under members of Bukoto Nateete in 1920s, and many were introduced either as members of its National Executive Committee or Board of Trusties. By 1972, AMC Bukoto Nateete and UMC Juma and Zukuri Kyaddondo and New Juma at Kibuli, were almost a Buganda affair. Both groups had some structure outside Buganda especially in Eastern and Western Uganda and l last saw a Bukoto Nateete District Imam of Bugisu in 1988 or 1989 at Kabuli mosque at Nalukolongo Nateete, but the credit we give to NAAM that was formed in 1965 and UMSC in 1972, is that they were national. However, l tried to recall election of AMC Bukoto Nateete leadership and it was 20O1, and the term was five years, but it is now 2014, no elections, almost all officer bearers that were elected in 2001 are dead, and there are replacements, but we have never heard of elections. After the death of Sheikh Mugenyasooka, Sheikh Hussein Kasumba, among others, Bukoto Nateete (and it seems does not own Nateete mosque) was reduced an affair of a few families (including my own family) where my Paternal Uncle, Sheikh Haruna Ssuuna Mugenyasooka is the Vice President General, without the mandate of the members. l looked around for any body hailing from Masaka, Mubende or Luwero, and probably Mukono, and there was no body. The National Executive Committee is a Kampala affair. l am more well conversant with Greater Masaka where l know many mosques, schools and land that belong to Bukoto Nateete, some grabbed, but it may not be consern for these people. Ever since my father who was District Imaam Masaka died in 2002, no district meeting be executive or general has ever been held. l thank Imam Idi Kasozi for a vigorous campaign of building permanent modern mosques in Greater Masaka that is going on progressively. Bukoto has another faction led by Haji Matembe. That is the worst. It even sells Muslim property as its own. Upon the death of Sheikh Muhammad Kateregga Mugenyasooka on December 31st 2012 and was buried on January 1st 2013, we suggested that since most of the office bearers on both factions have died, we should reconcile and hold elections right from mosques. But each group just filled in vacant positions without the members mandate! There is a similar story in SPIDIQA Foundation and Tabligh Community. l think Imaam Kasozi should not just put efforts at UMSC level alone, but also within organisations where factionalism is not ideological but in one way or another self stomachism. Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:10:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015