By Mariam Namakula
The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-UMSC through a Joint Session Committee has this week appointed Hon. Muhammad Ali Aluma as the new Acting UMSC Secretary General for the next three months commencing April 5th 2023.
The committee comprising of the Executive Committee and Majlis Al Ulama Committee-College of Eminent Sheikhs, the second most top organ of the council, however under the stewardship of Hon. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, the UMSC National Chairperson made the volition following findings from a member team ( Five) appointed by the Committee during their last sitting on April 1st, to investigate the validity of the contract of Dr. Ramathan Mugalu, the former UMSC Secretary as he was claiming.
A 9 page report authored by the Team chaired Counsel Musa Kabega however indicated that the tenure of Dr. Mugalu had long expired following his nomination and appointment by a similar organ on Jan 21st 2015 in line with the UMSC Constitution.
Reading the report, Counsel Dr. Adam Rajab Makmot Kibwanga together with other members deliberated the findings and resolved to appoint an acting Secretary General pending the election of a substantive office holder within 3 months.
The members norminated two candidates including Haj Muhamood Kateregga and Muhammad Ali Aluma, however Mr Aluma won the majority votes and was sworn in for the position by Hon. Were Abubaker Wadangho the UMSC Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson.
Earlier on, ten newly appointed Regional representatives to the Property & Endowment ( Awqaf) under chairmanship of Hon.Counsel Mugaino Abubakar and his Deputy Haj Jamada Luuta Musoke we’re sworn in as well. Others sworn in were 21 members of the Muslim Arbitration & Conciliation Committee under Sheikh Abdu Obeid Kamulegeya and Sheikh Luutu Sulaiman Wandera. The committee is mainly comprised of the former Muslim leaders and included Sheikh Hussein Rajab Kakooza among other prominent elderly Sheikhs.
In attendance were His Eminence Sheikh Abdallah Ibrahim Ssemambo Tamusuza, the Deputy Mufti of Uganda and His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa, the 2nd Deputy Mufti.
In his speech, His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje the Mufti of Uganda described the newly amended UMSC Constitution as bitter pill, which aims at curing Administrative illnesses that had affected the well being of the Council.
“I am really delighted that the Constitution is being implemented. So the noise made in public by disgruntled individuals is because they found themselves lacking the necessary academic qualifications for their desired Council positions,” Sheikh Mubaje remarked.
Urging the Members of the Property & Endowment Trust, to execute their duties diligently without fear or favour. He noted that their appointment was meant to save the Mufti’s Office from whatever has been going wrong concerning Muslim property in the past and that the blame has always been put squarely on him
On his part Sheikh Kamulegeya among the heads for the 21 members of the Muslim Arbitration & Conciliation Committee called upon Muslims to utilize his Committe to settle their disputes.
Then new elected Secretary General then pledged to create an enabling environment that will facilitate a smooth transition to the substantive Secretary General.
