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The wrangles in the Muslim community yesterday went a notch higher with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council secretary general Sheikh Siraj Kavuma disowning his chairperson, Mr Hassan Basajjabalaba.
Accompanied by over 40 district kadhis at the UMSC headquarters at Old Kampala, Sheikh Kavuma said the Joint Session last Saturday resolved to suspend Mr Basajjabalaba as chairman and that the matter was referred to the General Assembly that will be convened soon.
“The honourable chairman failed to convince the Joint Session over the accusations brought against him in a petition signed by 16 members and was left to be handled by the General Assembly,” said Sheikh Kavuma.
He said Basajjabalaba had no power to announce the sacking of Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje.
This week Mr Basajjabalaba bought space in two leading dailies declaring that Sheikh Mubajje had been sacked by the general assembly that sat on Saturday in Mengo.
But speaking last evening to kasozi Nasser in Mengo, UMSC deputy chairman Hajj Wadriff Ahmed insisted there is no mufti now since Mubajje was sacked by the general assembly.
“The General Assembly is the most powerful organ that elects the Mufti. Last Saturday Sheikh Mubajje blocked the General Assembly members from attending the Joint Session and as a result it decided to sack him since they elected him,” said Hajj Wadriff.
He said Mr Basajjabalaba was reinstated by the highest decision making body and therefore has powers to convene the general assembly.
He said the assembly called by Mr Basajjabalaba will be convened this Saturday at Serena Hotel and all its members have been invited including Sheikh Mubajje to have a final decision on the position of the mufti.
Legal threats
But Sheikh Kavuma had earlier said Dr Abdul Kadir Idi Balonde was unanimously elected as the acting chairman of the UMSC until a general assembly meeting is convened to elect new leadership.
Sheikh Kavuma warned that any persons or body that may antagonise UMSC operations without following lawful procedures shall be subjected to the laws of the country.
Mr Basajjabalaba and Mufti Mubajje once seen as close allies had an acrimonious fall recently and have been trading accusations against each other.
The current stalemate between the two top Muslim leaders adds to the woes of the community that is already divided into two factions one led by Sheikh Zubair Kayongo, based in Kibuli, and Mufti Mubajje’s based in Old Kampala.
The wrangles in the Muslim community yesterday went a notch higher with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council secretary general Sheikh Siraj Kavuma disowning his chairperson, Mr Hassan Basajjabalaba.
Accompanied by over 40 district kadhis at the UMSC headquarters at Old Kampala, Sheikh Kavuma said the Joint Session last Saturday resolved to suspend Mr Basajjabalaba as chairman and that the matter was referred to the General Assembly that will be convened soon.
“The honourable chairman failed to convince the Joint Session over the accusations brought against him in a petition signed by 16 members and was left to be handled by the General Assembly,” said Sheikh Kavuma.
He said Basajjabalaba had no power to announce the sacking of Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje.
This week Mr Basajjabalaba bought space in two leading dailies declaring that Sheikh Mubajje had been sacked by the general assembly that sat on Saturday in Mengo.
But speaking last evening to kasozi Nasser in Mengo, UMSC deputy chairman Hajj Wadriff Ahmed insisted there is no mufti now since Mubajje was sacked by the general assembly.
“The General Assembly is the most powerful organ that elects the Mufti. Last Saturday Sheikh Mubajje blocked the General Assembly members from attending the Joint Session and as a result it decided to sack him since they elected him,” said Hajj Wadriff.
He said Mr Basajjabalaba was reinstated by the highest decision making body and therefore has powers to convene the general assembly.
He said the assembly called by Mr Basajjabalaba will be convened this Saturday at Serena Hotel and all its members have been invited including Sheikh Mubajje to have a final decision on the position of the mufti.
Legal threats
But Sheikh Kavuma had earlier said Dr Abdul Kadir Idi Balonde was unanimously elected as the acting chairman of the UMSC until a general assembly meeting is convened to elect new leadership.
Sheikh Kavuma warned that any persons or body that may antagonise UMSC operations without following lawful procedures shall be subjected to the laws of the country.
Mr Basajjabalaba and Mufti Mubajje once seen as close allies had an acrimonious fall recently and have been trading accusations against each other.
The current stalemate between the two top Muslim leaders adds to the woes of the community that is already divided into two factions one led by Sheikh Zubair Kayongo, based in Kibuli, and Mufti Mubajje’s based in Old Kampala.
