Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba took over office as the Chief Kadhi of Uganda ( Mufti) shortly after his return from Kenya’s Capital Nairobi at a function at the Aga Khan Mosque overlooking the new taxi park along Namirembe road, which then served as the UMSC Headquarters.
Speaking during his first public appearance at Juma prayers at Wandegeya Mosque, Sheikh Mulumba challenged those who were talking about the liberation of Uganda from the tyranny (read Idd Amin’s government)
“There is no liberation when Muslims are being killed. If the UNLF Gov’t isn’t ready to protect Muslims and their properties, am ready to declare Jihad so that Muslims defend themselves,” Sheikh Mulumba warned in 1979.
Muslims welcomed the statement, which spread like bush fire. The statement also energised and encouraged Muslims to comeout of their hideouts and identify with Islam such as wearing long tunics, caps and veils like never before.
Muslims also displayed un-precedent passion towards their leader. Indeed no Muslim leader in recent history has enjoyed total support, compassion, and commanded a big following like Sheikh Mulumba.
Sheikh Mulumba received a hero’s welcome during his countrywide tour in war ravaged areas. Muslims praised him and addressed with highly cherished royal cultural expressions in Buganda such as “lukomwa nantawetwa” literally meaning “strong deep rooted Mahogany tree whose trunk can’t easily bend.
They also addressed him as “Nantasibwa Omuge ” powerful Chief who can’t be crowned with stuff without his royal approval, “Walulinda, Mpango, and above all “Al- Adhiib” in Arabic highly disciplined and humble.
They also claimed that Sheikh Mulumba was highly educated and would fluently speak ’70” international languages.
Sheikh Mulumba Misses Golden Chance
Shortly after assuming office, His Eminence Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba, the Chief Kadhi together with his Executive appointed a new Board of Directors to manage the Industrial & Commercial Holding Company Ltd.
The Company was tasked to oversee and supervise other UMSC Subsidiary Companies comprising the Uganda Ranchers among others. Uganda Ranches operated Sembabule Ranch, which is the case study of our series.
The Board members comprised the following prominent Muslim Personalities;
● late Haj Ramadhan Wasiike, the Chair
● late Haj Ali Kirunda Kivejinja
● late Sheikh Abdunoor Anas Kalisa
● Mr. Norman Kyamanywa
● Haj Fazal Gingo,
● Haj Simbwa Bunya,
● Mr. Ibrahim Seguya.
The board was tasked to audit and take stock of what had remained of the UMSC’s Commercial Projects and recommend possible ways of reviving the factories and Ranches affected by the war.
However, around May 1980, the political temperature flared up following the return of the then Ex-Ugandan President Milton Obote from exile in Tanzania. UPC Stalwarts were working around the clock to regain full control of State Power. On the other hand, the term of the UMSC Interim Administration under Sheikh Mulumba was about to expire.
However, the independent UMSC Taskforce Committee put in place to organize National Muslim general Election under the chairmanship of the late Haj. Asuman Mbubi and Late Sulaiman Kiggundu (Dr) as Administrative Secretary, had released the Election Road Map for the UMSC elections scheduled to start in October 1980.
Sheikh Mulumba was advised to call for an urgent meeting of the College of Sheikhs ( Majlis Al Ulaama) for consultations about the ongoing Muslim Election processes. The Meeting took place at the UMSC Headquarters at Old Kampala. During the said meeting, the late Sheikh Zubair Kayongo made a special proposal calling for the suspension of the UMSC Constitution to pave way for the indefinite postponement of the general elections.
This would automatically extend Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba’s tenure as the Chief Kadhi of Uganda without subjecting him to a fresh round of elections.The late Sheikh Yusuf Zirabamuzale, a diehard supporter of Sheikh Mulumba seconded the proposal that was unanimously approved by the members.
Eventually, Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba made a special communication on the outcomes of the meeting.
However, the taskforce that was already preparing for the polls rejected the decision by the college of Sheikhs on the grounds that they did not have such powers under the Provisions of the UMSC Constitution.
They argued that only competent Courts of Law could issue such orders.
The golden chance Sheikh Kassim Mulumba missed was his failure to analyse the prevailing situation when Muslims needed unity more than never before because they were still mourning their dead and nursing wounds inflicted on them during the 1979 war.
Secondly, Sheikh Mulumba was fully aware that he needed to formalise his appointment because there was no shortcut. He would have actually registered landslide victory.
Unfortunately, Sheikh Mulumba whole-heartedly listened and acted upon advice of his political god father, mentor and close friend the late Paul Muwanga who had assumed state power through his appointment as Chairman of the Military Commission that ruled Uganda towards the 1980 National General elections.
Muwanga came into contact with Sheikhs’ Umar Ddumba the legendary Quran Reciter, the late Muhammad Bbira and Kassimu Mulumba in the late 1950s during their studies in Egypt. This was also at the peak of Pan- African struggle for independence. The late Egyptian President Gamal Nasser offered all logistical support towards African Freedom fighters by allowing them to open coordination offices in Cairo.
As a result, the Uganda National Congress ( UNC) sent Muwanga to Egypt as its representative and shortly after Uganda got her independence in 1962, he went on to become Uganda’s first envoy in Egypt. The three Sheikhs played a great deal in helping Muwanga to understand the Egyptian Islamic Arab Culture. They lived in Egypt for over 20 years.
So, in 1980 the late Sheikh Mulumba in the accompany of his close collegues; late Sheikh Muhammad Bbira and Umar Ddumba paid a visit to Paul Muwanga, who was excited to see them. He directed his aide de Camp Paul Makanya, who was in charge of protocol in his office to take good care of the Sheikhs.
“These Sheikhs are part of my family so, whenever they want to see me please let them in and never bother them with bureaucracy and office rules,” Muwanga directed.
It was during their frequent visits to State House when Muwanga learnt that Sheikh Mulumba’s tenure was about to expire.
“Please kindly listen to me, You Sheikh Mulumba and your collegues, you’re highly learnt Islamic theologians who are fit to head Muslims now to whom do you want to shoulder responsibility?” he asked. Adding that “Apart from you, am not ready to see any body steering UMSC. So, that business of UMSC elections needs to be halted.”
This is the idea of suspended the then looming UMSC general elections was born leading to sharp divisions and conflicts among Muslims.
Political Interference Breeds Conflicts
The Majority of Muslims especially in Central Region ( Buganda ) and to some extent Busoga welcomed Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba’s proposal to halt the UMSC 1980 general elections that were already in progress.
On the other hand, Sheikh Abdu Obeid Kamulegeya had shown interest to compete for the high Office of the Chief Kadhi and even went ahead to mobilise and implore his supporters to participate in the planned elections.
Sheikh Kamulegeya’s team realised that the only way to achieve their goal would be to neutralize Mulumba’s solid support. As a result, Sheikh Kamulegeya hatched a plan of convincing Prince Al Haj Badru Kakungulu to offer himself and run for the position of national UMSC Chairman on grounds that Mulumba had stabbed him in the back by extending his mandate and taking on titles reserved for Buganda royals despite being an ordinary Muganda.
Convinced with the reasons, Prince Badru Kakungulu accepted to join the race. After learning about Kamulegeya’s decision, staunch UPC supporters and confidants of Dr. Milton Apollo Obote then UPC Party President threw their weight behind him and pledged to offer him ( Kamulegeya) all the necessary support to achieve his goal.
The Elections took place under the supervision and monitoring of the UMSC Taskforce Committee. Muslim leaders at various levels were elected. Between Sept 23rd – 26th 1980, A New UMSC General Assembly, the Supreme Organ of the Council was officially consituted at Makerere University Man Hall.
The Assembly thereafter elected Sheikh Abdu Obeid Kamulegeya as the Chief Kadhi and the late Prince Al Haj Badru Kakungulu as the National Chairman
The other officials were
● Haj Isah Khalifa Lukwago, Hon Secretary General deputies by Haj Abdu
Juma Biramahiire,
● Haj Majid Bagalaaliwo Treasurer,
● Haj Zakariya Risaasi, Assistant Treasurer,
● Late Haj Ramadhan Wasike, Secretary for Housing,
● Haj Muhamood Kazibiraine, Secretary for Education.
● Late Sheikh Ahmad Mukasa, Secretary for Religious Affairs
● Late Haj Yusuf Nsubuga Nsambu, Legal Officer.
Sheikh Mulumba dismissed the executive after learning that they had supported the elections. Also dismissed was the Deputy Chief Kadhi, Sheikh Ali Kivumbi who was replaced by Sheikh Muhammad Ssemakula.
The others included the,
● Late Haj Sulaiman Masaba, the Hon Secretary General
● Sheikh Taib Masembe, Secretary for Religious Affairs,
● Sheikh Muhammad Bbira the Protocol Officer,
● Sheikh Muhammad Kibanga, the Personal Private Secretary Office of the Chief Kadhi,
● Late Sheikh Muhammad Mukongo, the Head of Muslim Volunteers,
● Late Sheikh Yusuf Mukasa Officer in charge of Zakah
● Late Sheikh Isah Ssembajjwe, Waqf ( Endowment) Officer
● Sheikh Muhamood Walukagga, Tabligh ( Islamic Propagation,
● Late Sheikh Abas Lukenge, the Slaughter Officer
● Sheikh Ali Mpugu Secretary for Education
● Late Sheikh Yusuf Zirabamuzale, the Secretary for Mawuledi ceremonies.
Reconciliation Attempts
Rabitat Al Alam Al Islami (Muslim World League) based in the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia felt concerned about the plight and suffering Ugandan Muslims went through during the 1979 war and the subsequent disturbances among them. As a result, the late Sheikh Muhammad Ali Hakaran, then Secretary-General of MWL extended invitations to Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba, the Chief Kadhi and Sheikh Maulana Abdu- Razak Matovu who went in his capacity as the Kibuli group representative and Uganda’s representative to the board of the Muslim World League in Makkah.
Both Sheikhs honoured the invitations and travelled to Saudi Arabia. The reconciliation meeting took place at Muslim World League Secretariat in Makkah on June 19th, 1981. After the meeting, the sheikhs signed an agreement committing to work together and share the National Offices. Under the agreement, Sheikh Kassimu Mulumba retained his executive powers as the Topmost leader and Chief Kadhi of Uganda while Sheikh Matovu was to assume the ceremonial office of the Mufti with the limited role of handling religious matters such as the interpretation of Holy Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH).
However, the confidants of both principals outrightly rejected the agreement on grounds that they were not consulted. This left Sheikh Abdu- Razak Matovu in an awkward position because he had negotiated for himself an office leaving out his superior Sheikh Abdu Obeid Kamulegeya. Following advice from his camp, Sheikh Abdu- Razak Matovu also publically denounced the agreement, saying that he didn’t fully comprehend the colloquial Arabic Language used and that it was after his return that the terms of the agreement were explained to him, which he couldn’t accept.
On the other hand, the supporters of Sheikh Mulumba seemed to have interest in the title of the Mufti and decided to address him both as the Chief Kadhi and Mufti in addition to many other titles.
The sharp conflicts continued.
By
Zziwa Ashiraf
UMSC Spokesperson.
Uganda Muslim Brothers and Sisters(UMBS) Marhaban مرحبا 