Islam in Uganda

Last updated

The Uganda National Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Sub-Saharan Africa. Laika ac Gaddafi National Mosque, Kampala (6693328097).jpg
The Uganda National Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Islam in Uganda is the second largest religion in the country behind Christianity. Islam is practised by 14 percent of the population. [1] The Pew Research Center in 2014, however, estimated that 11.5 percent of Ugandans were Muslim. [2] The vast majority of Muslims in Uganda are Sunni. Small Shia and Ahmadi minorities are also present. [3]

Contents

The Iganga District in the east of Uganda had the highest percentage of Muslims according to a 2009 published report. [4]

History

The presence of Islam in Uganda was first recorded in 1844 when an Arab trader preached to Suuna II, the ruler of the Kingdom of Buganda in central Uganda. Islam was also spread throughout Uganda by Muslim colonial administrators who originally worked in northern Uganda when it was controlled by the Khedivate of Egypt but were later employed by British colonial administrator Frederick Lugard when Egyptian control collapsed in the south. [5] Despite persecution by the British, Islam flourished in the colonial period and was said to be fastest growing religion in Uganda by a colonial officer in the 1950s. Mosques were built in almost every established city in Uganda and the Uganda Muslim Education Association, founded by prince Badru Kakungulu with help by Asian Muslims, built hundreds of primary schools through introducing western educational curriculum into madrasah schools across the country. [6]

2002 census

A rural mosque in Uganda Rural Mosque, Uganda (15403634009).jpg
A rural mosque in Uganda

The 2002 national census recorded that Muslims represented 12.1 percent of the population. [7] : 11 

Region% Muslim
Central 18.4% [8]
Eastern 17.0% [8]
Northern 8.5% [8]
Western 4.5% [8]
Total12.1%

Geographical distribution

Yumbe District is the only district with a Muslim-majority (76%). Muslims form a significant minority in the districts of Mayuge (36%) and Iganga (34%).

Region/District
Population
(2014 census)
[9]
Number of MuslimsShare of Muslims
Kampala District 1,187,795268,78722.6%
Iganga District 708,630239,58233.8%
Yumbe District 251,758191,91376.2%
Mukono District 795,114165,81720.9%
Masaka District 770,379164,95021.4%
Wakiso District 907,736164,25618.1%
Mbale District 717,534132,24718.4%
Arua District 833,538123,22914.8%
Mayuge District 324,668117,52636.2%
Kamuli District 707,242112,17715.9%
Bugiri District 412,365101,57124.6%
Jinja District 387,249100,25725.9%
Pallisa District 520,53294,23118.1%
Luwero District 478,49289,23218.6%
Mpigi District 407,73987,31421.4%
Kayunga District 294,56876,12725.8%
Mubende District 689,30574,78110.8%
Tororo District 536,73263,38111.8%
Mbarara District 1,088,01261,2735.6%
Rakai District 470,14451,34810.9%
Moyo District 194,73435,56918.3%
Kasese District 522,72633,7906.5%
Masindi District 459,24431,7536.9%
Bushenyi District 731,21731,2934.3%
Sironko District 283,05628,96110.2%
Kiboga District 229,29727,83912.1%
Sembabule District 180,02827,40815.2%
Busia District 224,88722,3229.9%
Ntungamo District 379,82920,6885.1%
Bundibugyo District 209,82018,6018.9%
Nebbi District 435,25217,8294.1%
Kabarole District 356,70417,6965.0%
Hoima District 343,48017,4385.1%
Kapchorwa District 190,28216,3248.6%
Kibaale District 405,76113,0443.2%
Kyenjojo District 377,10911,7543.1%
Kumi District 389,59911,6323.0%
Adjumani District 202,22311,2735.6%
Kamwenge District 263,59510,8654.1%
Lira District 740,8939,5661.3%
Nakasongola District 127,0489,4287.4%
Soroti District 369,6218,5412.3%
Kanungu District 204,6405,5642.7%
Rukungiri District 275,1015,3391.9%
Kalangala District 34,6994,98614.4%
Gulu District 475,0714,5971.0%
Apac District 683,9873,9990.6%
Kabale District 458,1073,7530.8%
Katakwi District 298,9003,1311.0%
Kotido District 591,8702,3130.4%
Moroto District 189,9071,7070.9%
Kisoro District 220,2021,6930.8%
Kitgum District 282,2701,6170.6%
Pader District 326,3201,4630.4%
Nakapiripirit District 154,4941,3900.9%
Kaberamaido District 131,6279560.7%
Uganda (total)24,433,1322,956,12112.1%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Uganda". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  2. ↑ "Global Religious Diversity: Appendix 2, Religious Diversity Index Scores and Religious Adherents by Region and Country" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity" (PDF). Pew Forum on Religious & Public life. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  4. ↑ United States Department of State (26 October 2009). "Uganda". International Religious Freedom Report 2009. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  5. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 36.
  6. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 36-37.
  7. ↑ "2002 Uganda Population and Housing Census - Main Report" (PDF). Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "2002 Uganda Population and Housing Census - Population Composition (Household Composition, Religious and Ethnic Composition and Marriage)" (PDF). Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  9. ↑ http://www.ubos.org/onlinefiles/uploads/ubos/centableB7.pdf [ dead link ]

Bibliography

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.