By Jumah Kakomo
The Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, has called on Muslim religious leaders to stop portraying the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) as being against Muslims, saying the government is committed to promoting national unity, socio-economic transformation and freedom of worship for all Ugandans.
Kabanda, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Kampala Central, made the remarks on Friday during a national thanksgiving ceremony organised by the Structured Imams and Amirats Assembly of Uganda (SIAAU) in Kampala. The event was held to recognise President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for supporting more than 250 local imams to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca during the 2025 and 2026 pilgrimage seasons.
The minister represented President Museveni as the chief guest at the ceremony.
Addressing participants, Kabanda said the government has consistently promoted religious tolerance and protected places of worship across the country. She urged Muslim leaders to educate their followers on how to access government development programmes instead of spreading narratives that could create division.
«”Religious leaders are encouraged to work hand in hand with government programmes to improve the social and economic welfare of believers,” Kabanda said.»
She noted that initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga are intended to benefit all Ugandans, including members of the Muslim community, as part of the government’s efforts to reduce household poverty.
Kabanda also urged parents to play a greater role in instilling discipline and moral values in their children, saying strong parental guidance is essential in helping young people avoid negative peer influence and remain focused on their education and future aspirations.
She further appealed to leaders of SIAAU to carry out their responsibilities with integrity and ensure transparency in the management of funds related to Hajj arrangements. She also called on Muslims to strengthen unity, support one another and avoid actions that promote division and hatred within the community.
Speaking at the same event, SIAAU President Sheikh Saidi Kasawuli said the thanksgiving ceremony was organised to express appreciation to President Museveni for supporting local and underprivileged imams to fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam through the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Kasawuli explained that the initiative originated in 2008 when the Assembly formally petitioned President Museveni to support local and financially disadvantaged imams. He said the President responded positively in 2011 and later began facilitating the programme, which has enabled more than 250 imams to travel for Hajj during the 2025 and 2026 pilgrimage seasons.
He said the programme remains open to eligible local and needy imams across the country and has no specified end date.
Kasawuli appealed to the President to increase the annual number of beneficiaries from 100 to at least 500, arguing that the initiative has expanded from Kampala to serve Muslim communities nationwide.
He also criticised some Muslim leaders whom he accused of opposing the initiative and undermining programmes intended to promote the welfare and development of the Muslim community.
Sheikh Sulaiman Ssemakula called on Muslims to reconcile and work together, saying disagreements surrounding Hajj recruitment agencies and companies had contributed to negative perceptions of SIAAU despite its efforts to lobby for local Muslims to perform the pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Muhammad Abdul-Noor Kasolo urged financially stable Muslims not to seek sponsorship under the programme, saying priority should continue to be given to underprivileged imams who are unable to finance the pilgrimage on their own.
