Jun5

The Unsung Muslim Heroes of Uganda:Sheikh Mahmood Katende

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Sheikh Mahmood Katende

Sheikh Mahmood Katende


By Haji Nsereko Mutumba

In our ongoing weekly series of Unsung Muslim Heroes of Uganda, we are glad to bring you a veteran Muslim teacher and Islamic Propagator of his time Sheikh Mahmood Katende.

Sheikh Mahmood Katende is the son of the late His Eminence Sheikh Swaibu Ssemakula (Sheikh Mukulu) of Lugave clan (the former Mufti of Uganda) and the late Hajat Aisha Nsonyi of the Nkima (Monkey) clan. He was born in Namasumbi – Kyaggwe County (currently Mukono District) in the year 1928.

He studied at Namasumbi Madrasa, then Lukalu (Butambala County) from where he joined Katumu – Kyaggwe where he was a teacher as well as a student of his father.

He learnt a lot from his father Sheikh Swaibu Ssemakula and using the knowledge he acquired, he became very prominent. He was the first teacher in Katumu Madrasa.

He started his teaching career in 1946 up to the year 2000. During this period he taught so many prominent Sheikhs who also taught many others. His students included Sheikhs; Zubair Kayongo, Ahmad Mukasa (former Secretary for Religious Affairs UMSC), Muhammad Matovu of Mityana Ssingo County, Ibrahim Ssebirumbi of Bukuuku Bulemeezi County, Muhammad Wamala of Kooki in Rakai District, Musa Bakulumpagi of Sseke Buddu County, H.E Saad Ibrahim Luwemba of Busoga (former Mufti of Uganda), Amir Lule of Bugerere County (he one of those who taught H.E the Mufti of Uganda Shk. Shaban R. Mubaje) , Idris Lutaya (Principal Buziga Islamic Institute), Zubair Bakare, Afaani Kawooya (District Kadhi of Mubende), Ishaak Yusuf of Mbale (Member Majilis Ulama UMSC), Isa Mayombwe, Abdul Majid Noman of Namasumbi, Abdul Noor Kakande of Bugerere, late Dr. Badru-Din Ssajabi of IUIU, Dr. Abdul – Kadir Balonde ( a lecturer at IUIU and the UMSC National Chairman), the late Maulana Ziwa Kizito (he was the leader of Ummah Foundation as well as the author of a book titled “Islam Uganda’s first Religion 32 Years before Christianity” which is still in print) and many others.

Basing on his outstanding role in the propagation of Islam and the many Sheikhs he taught as listed above, he is a Muslim hero though unsung.

By Haji Nsereko Mutumba
Public Relations Officer
Uganda Muslim Supreme Council
Tel: 0701409504 or 0772409504

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About Uganda Muslim Brothers and Sisters

Uganda Muslim Brothers and Sisters (UMBS) was started as a discussion forum in 2010 by a Ugandan Muslim, Abbey Semuwemba, based in the United Kingdom. The main aim at the time was to encourage all Muslims to come together and discuss anything on their minds. It was started with only about 200 members but gradually, however, membership expanded to more than 6000 people in different countries, and so the need arose for formal operational guidelines. It now has over 50,000 members globally! UMBS is building itself to become the national umbrella organisation dedicated to the common good, to the betterment of the Muslim community and country. It was formed after several years of wide-ranging consultation and careful planning by a group of Muslims that discussed Islamic affairs online regularly. It intends to bring together all representatives of different Muslim organisations in Uganda to meet up on annual basis to discuss the affairs of Muslims in Uganda. The need to coordinate efforts on wider issues of common concern became apparent in the course of the feud that developed between Muslim leaders after the sale of Muslim properties in Uganda. This created a climate of distrust and non-cooperation between many diverse groups in the country.

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