Uganda Muslim Supreme Council

Last updated

Uganda Muslim Supreme Council
AbbreviationUMSC
Formation1 June 1972;52 years ago (1972-06-01)
Headquarters Plot No. 23-25, Old Kampala Hill
Location
Mufti of Uganda
 Sheikh Dr. Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje
Deputy Mufti of Uganda
 Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa
Website http://umsc.or.ug/

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) is the chief organization for governing and representing Islam in Uganda. [1] The UMSC was founded in 1972 to bring together the divided Muslim community in Uganda. It is currently led by Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, who serves as the Grand Mufti of Uganda.

Contents

Organization

Initial constitution (1972)

The first UMSC constitution was drafted in 1972 at a religious conference organised by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. This constitution stated that the organisation would be led by a Supreme Council of eleven representatives from Uganda's 21 civil administrative districts. Any male Muslim in Uganda would be eligible to run or vote for this role. This council would serve for five-year terms and was mandated to meet at least once a year. At their first meeting, the council would elect the Chief Kadhi (later called Mufti) [2] and his deputy, the Chairman of the Executive Council, the Secretary General, and two administrative bodies that would serve for a five-year term: the Executive Council and the College of Sheikhs. [3]

The Executive Council would be responsible for handling the administrative tasks of the entire organisation and would be led by the Chairman, Chief Kadhi, Secretary General, and 11 other nominated members. The College of Sheiks would be the utmost authority on all religious matters for the Muslim community of Uganda and would be composed of the Chief Kadhi, his deputy, 21 district Kadhis, and a few elected Sheiks. There would also be a Council of Representatives composed of representative of all district counties and led by a district Kadhi. [4]

This first constitution had several issues including equal district representation for districts with large variations in Muslim populations, lack of demarcation of responsibility amongst the newly created administrative bodies, and ambiguity regarding the relationship between the UMSC and the government. [4]

Initial constitutional amendments (1982 & 1986)

The UMSC constitution was amended in 1982 and 1986. The second constitutional amendment was handled by Nsambu and Lubega Advocates, a law firm in Kampala. [2] [5]

Latest constitutional amendment (2022)

The last time that the UMSC constitution was amended was on 13 July 2022. [6] The UMSC said that this constitutional amendment aimed to address the needs of previously excluded groups, such as women, youth, and the elderly, and large structural changes that had taken place since the last amendment in 1986. [7] [5] Despite the previous constitution stating that amendments can only be added by an independent committee appointed by a General Assembly, the 2022 amendments were added by a 21-person team led by former Secretary General Edris Kasenene. [6]

The constitutional amendments primarily dealt with the required qualifications to run for Mufti. The maximum age cap was raised from 70 to 75, and a Master's degree in Sharia and Secular education was required. After a Mufti had served one 10-year term, he would be eligible to run for a second. Additionally, the amended constitution changed the election process so that the Mufti would be elected by the 22-member College of Sheiks; previously, Muftis were appointed by the 230-member General Assembly. [6]

The qualifications to become Mufti in the amended constitution are as follows:

History

Early Muslim organisations in Uganda

Muteesa I of Buganda, the 30th Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, converted to Islam and imposed it as the state religion of Buganda. Le Tour du monde-09-p337.jpg
Muteesa I of Buganda, the 30th Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, converted to Islam and imposed it as the state religion of Buganda.

The first authorities for the Islamic faith were rulers of the Kingdom of Buganda. The 30th Kabaka of Buganda, Muteesa I (r. 1856–1884), was the first Kabaka to convert to Islam, and claimed to be "the head of [the] Islamic religion". One of his sons, Kalema, the 33rd Kabaka of Buganda (r. 1888–1889), personally oversaw religious affairs and consulted a committee of religious scholars of differing faiths on religious matters. A prince of Buganda, Nuhu Mbogo Kyabasinga, rescinded his claim to the throne to become a leader for Muslims under the British administration of the Protectorate of Uganda. Through working directly with British colonial administrators and the Christian majority of Uganda, Mbogo was widely recognized as the utmost authority on the governance of Islam in the country. [9]

Upon Mbogo's death in 1921, authority over the Muslim community was contested by two organisations: one centred in Butambala, and another in Kibuli. The Butambala faction was supported by Apollo Kaggwa and composed of the chiefs of Butambala, under the leadership of Twaib Magatto and Abdullah Ssekimwanyi. The Kibuli faction was led by Prince Badru Kakungulu, upon nomination by 34th Kabaka of Buganda Daudi Chewa II and other Muslim leaders. [10] While initially the two groups only differed in leadership, gradual doctrinal differences that arose led to the creation of more Muslim organisations. Disagreements over the Friday Zuhr prayer resulted in the two groups splitting into the Uganda Muslim Community headquartered at Kibuli, the Zukhuli sect headquartered at Kawempe, and the African Muslim Community Natete-Bukoto. These three organisations coexisted with cordial competition until the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Muslims (NAAM) in 1965, which sought to move the centre of Islam away from Buganda, which the three older groups fiercely opposed. Aside from these four, other smaller organisations were founded for specific groups, such as the Uganda Muslim Students Association for students, the Youngmen's Muslim Association for young men, and five organisations representing Muslim Asian Ugandans: Khoja Shia Ishnasir Jamat, Dawoodi Bohara Jamat Corporation, Dawoodi Bohora Limited, Muslim Sunni Association, and the Aga Khan Ismailia Community. [11] All of these groups acted independently and had their own constitutions until Idi Amin organized a religious conference in Kabale in May and June 1971 to resolve the differences between the several religious communities in Uganda. [12]

Creation of the UMSC

The Basiima House in Kampala was the first headquarters of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. Basiima Bakyagaya House of sir apollo kagwa.jpg
The Basiima House in Kampala was the first headquarters of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.

The UMSC was officially inaugurated on 1 June 1972 with much support by Muslims in Uganda and abroad. Kakungulu donated 20 acres of land to the organisation and relinquished his role as the leader of the Uganda Muslim Community, the largest Muslim group in Uganda up until that point. The organisation also received large donations from Saudi Arabia, Libya, the Central African Republic, and individual donors. It quickly became the richest landlord in the country after purchasing a large estate from George Franck Walusimbi Mpanga, the mayor of Kampala, and inheriting land belonging to Asian Muslims expelled from Uganda. These acquisitions enabled the UMSC to move its headquarters from the Basiima House, formerly Kaggwa's private residence, to the Kampala Jamatkhana mosque. [13]

In 1973 and 1974, Uganda was admitted into the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation under representation by the UMSC, which contracted a Muslim company to build it a new mosque and headquarters. [14]

Challenges faced by the UMSC

In 1975, without regard to the bureaucratic processes laid out in the UMSC constitution, the Ugandan government ousted the first Chief Kadhi, Sheikh Maulana Abdul Razak Matovu, and replaced him with Sheikh Yusuf Sulaiman Matovu. Amin dismissed Yusuf Matovu a year later, which left the UMSC without a leader. From 1975 to 1979, the UMSC was administered by Acting Secretary General Ahmad Mufanjala, but was under de facto control of Amin, who handled major decisions. Afraid to question Amin's authority, the UMSC failed to follow many of the responsibilities outlined in its constitution. [15]

In 1979, Amin's regime was toppled and Muslims in Uganda faced intense persecution and violence due to their religion. Many, including most of the senior leadership of the UMSC, went into hiding or fled the country to escape discrimination. Almost all government officials wanted to dismantle the UMSC, which was seen as a remnant of Amin's dictatorship, and return administration of the Islamic community to the previous Muslim organisations. Kakungulu was consulted on the subject, and he and the group that he formerly led, the Uganda Muslim Community, were entrusted to find a solution. While Kakungulu felt that the UMSC should be maintained and reformed, the other Muslim leaders wanted to dismantle the organisation and instead work through the ones that predated it. [16] Kakungulu called a meeting of 50 Sheiks and asked them to nominate a temporary leader from amongst themselves until a formal election could be held, but they presented Kakungulu with three Sheiks from whom he could choose: Ssemakula, Abdulzaak Matovu, and Kassimu Mulumba. Mulumba was fluent in Arabic and English, and had had both Western and Quranic education. For these reasons, Kakungulu selected Mulumba and his two delegates as interim leaders. [17]

Kakungulu worked with his former rival Sheikh Abdu Kamulegeya, the leader of NAAM and of many Ugandan Muslims outside of Buganda, to organise a press conference to announce the transitional leadership and encourage unity within the country's Muslim community. The two agreed that the UMSC must be preserved and that Mulumba and his two deputies would be installed as the provisional leaders for a three-month period, until the country's Muslims could vote according to the UMSC's constitution. This press conference would be held in UMSC headquarters, and Kamulegeya would reassure his followers about this decision. After the press conference was held, Kakungulu became the Chairman of a temporary Executive Council, and Kamulegeya became a prominent member. [18]

Following the establishment of this interim administration, the UMSC was able to function as an organisation again. From May to December 1979, it began to reappoint district Kadhis and organized a 1000-person pilgrimage of Ugandan Muslims to Mecca. Pressed to begin organising elections after the transitional Executive Council had overstayed its three-month term, the UMSC appointed a task force, led by Asumani Mbuubi and Sulaiman Kigunda, to collect data from various districts. In July 1980, preparations for elections finally began. [19]

The Ugandan government warned Muslims to keep politics out of the UMSC elections. This prompted acting Chief Kadhi Mulumba to suspend sections in the UMSC constitution that dealt with elections, and expel the provisional Executive Council and Secretary General. [19] The Executive Council responded in kind, dismissing Mulumba as Chief Kadhi. The council then called a meeting, at Makerere University, of the newly elected Supreme Council, which elected Kamulegeya as Chief Kadhi. A mediator from the Muslim World League was able to get the two factions of the UMSC, loyal to competing Chief Kadhis, to settle their differences. They agreed to preserve the legitimacy of the UMSC constitution, and affirm Mulumba as Chief Kadhi and Kamulegya his deputy, as well as to maintain the UMSC leadership elected at Makerere—in order to avoid new elections—while incorporating some members of Mulumba's faction into the leadership. [20]

Leadership

№PortraitMuftiTermNotesRef
1 Maulana Matovu 1972 –1974 [21]
2 Yusuf Matovu 1974 –1978Directly nominated by Idi Amin, instead of the Supreme Council as stated in the 1972 constitution. [21]
3 Kassim Mulumba 1979 –1983Personally chosen by Prince Badru Kakungulu. [21]
4 Abdu Kamulegeya 1983 –1985 [21]
5 Kassim Mulumba 1985 –1986Mulumba's 2nd term. [21]
6 Hussein Kakooza 1986 –1991 [21]
7 Saad Luwemba 1991 –1997 [21]
8 Muhammad Semakula 1997 –2000 [21]
9 Shaban Mubaje 3 December 2000 –current [21] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uganda</span> Country in East Africa

Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, it lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied equatorial climate. As of 2024, it has a population of over 49 million, of which 8.5 million live in the capital and largest city, Kampala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kampala</span> Capital and the largest city of Uganda

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,875,834 (2024) and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, and Rubaga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buganda</span> Bantu kingdom in central Uganda

Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan region, representing approximately 16% of Uganda's population.

The early history of Uganda comprises the history of Uganda before the territory that is today Uganda was made into a British protectorate at the end of the 19th century. Prior to this, the region was divided between several closely related kingdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protectorate of Uganda</span> British protectorate in Africa from 1894 to 1962

The Protectorate of Uganda was a protectorate of the British Empire from 1894 to 1962. In 1893 the Imperial British East Africa Company transferred its administration rights of territory consisting mainly of the Kingdom of Buganda to the British government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Uganda (1963–1971)</span>

The history of Uganda from 1963 through 1971 comprises the history of Uganda from Ugandan independence from the United Kingdom to the rise of the dictator Idi Amin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutesa II of Buganda</span> Monarch of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1939 to 1969

Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II was Kabaka, or king, of the Kingdom of Buganda in Uganda from 22 November 1939 until his death. He was the 35th Kabaka of Buganda and the first president of Uganda from 1962 to 1966, when he was overthrown by Milton Obote. The foreign press often referred to him as King Freddie, a name rarely used in Uganda. An ardent defender of Buganda's interests, especially its traditional autonomy, he often threatened to make the kingdom independent both before and after Uganda's independence to preserve it. These firm convictions also later led to conflicts with his erstwhile political ally Milton Obote, who would eventually overthrow him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in Uganda</span>

Uganda is an overwhelmingly Christian majority country, with Islam being the second most widely professed faith. According to the 2014 National Census, Islam in Uganda was practised by 14 percent of the population. The Pew Research Center in 2014, however, estimated that 11.5 percent of Ugandans were Muslim, compared to 35.2 percent of Tanzanians, 9.7 percent of Kenyans, 6.2 percent of South Sudanese, 2.8 percent of Burundians, and 1.8 percent of Rwandans. The vast majority of Muslims in Uganda are Sunni. Small Shia and Ahmadi minorities are also present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party (Uganda)</span> Political party in Uganda

The Democratic Party is a moderate conservative political party in Uganda led by Norbert Mao. The DP was led by Paul Ssemogerere for 25 years until his retirement in November 2005. John Ssebaana Kizito replaced Ssemogerere, and led the party until February 2010, when Norbert Mao was elected party president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uganda Martyrs</span> 19th-century group of Christian martyrs

The Uganda Martyrs are a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887.

Rashid Kalema Muguluma was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from 21 October 1888 until 5 October 1889. He was the 33rd Kabaka of Buganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Uganda</span> Supreme law of Uganda

The Constitution of Uganda is the supreme law of Uganda. The fourth and current constitution was promulgated on 8 October 1995. It sanctions a republican form of government with a powerful President.

The military history of Uganda begins with actions before the conquest of the country by the British Empire. After the British conquered the country, there were various actions, including in 1887, and independence was granted in 1962. After independence, Uganda was plagued with a series of conflicts, most rooted in the problems caused by colonialism. Like many African nations, Uganda endured a series of civil wars and coup d'états. Since the 2000s in particular, the Uganda People's Defence Force has been active in peacekeeping operations for the African Union and the United Nations.

The Buganda Crisis, also called the 1966 Mengo Crisis, the Kabaka Crisis, or the 1966 Crisis, domestically, was a period of political turmoil that occurred in Buganda. It was driven by conflict between Prime Minister Milton Obote and the Kabaka of Buganda, Mutesa II, culminating in a military assault upon the latter's residence that drove him into exile.

Kibuli is a hill in the centre of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The area is a suburb in the city centre and its name also applies to the commercial and residential neighbourhoods on that hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baganda</span> Bantu native to Buganda, Uganda

The Baganda also called Waganda, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans, the Baganda are the largest people of the Bantu ethnic group in Uganda, comprising 16.5 percent of the population at the time of the 2014 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in Uganda</span>

Football is the national sport in Uganda. The Uganda national football team, nicknamed The Cranes, is the national team of Uganda and is controlled by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations. They have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup; their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in 1978.

The Buganda Agreement (1955) was made on 18 October 1955 between Andrew Cohen, the governor of the Uganda Protectorate, and Mutesa II, Kabaka of Buganda. The agreement facilitated Mutesa II's return as a constitutional monarch of Buganda, ending the Kabaka crisis that began when the Kabaka was exiled to England by Cohen in 1953. It amended the earlier 1900 Uganda Agreement. The final text reflected the agreed outcomes of the Namirembe Conference.

Nuhu Mbogo Kyabasinga (1835–1921) was a prince of the Buganda Kingdom, known for his prominent role in the Muslim community of Uganda. He was born to Kabaka (king) Suuna Kalema I and his wife Kubina and was a notable figure during his time. Mbogo was also the brother of Kabaka Muteesa I, who was another important figure in the Buganda Kingdom. Mbogo made contributions to the development of Islam in Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kibuli Mosque</span> Mosque in Kibuli, Kampala, Uganda

The Kibuli Mosque is an Islamic place of worship and cultural landmark located in the Kibuli neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda. It holds historical and religious significance for the local Muslim community.

References

  1. ↑ "Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC)". Inter-Religious Council of Uganda. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 Independent, The (14 July 2022). "UMSC general assembly sets term limits for office of the mufti". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 40-41.
  4. 1 2 Kasozi 1985, p. 41.
  5. 1 2 Homeland Media Room (2 February 2022). "The Homeland Newspaper". The Homeland Newspaper. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Muslim top organ changes constitution amid protest". Monitor. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Uganda Muslim Supreme Council embarks on journey to amend their constitution". New Vision. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  8. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 36.
  9. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 37-38.
  10. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 38.
  11. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 38-39.
  12. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 40.
  13. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 41-42.
  14. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 42.
  15. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 42-43.
  16. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 43-44.
  17. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 44-45.
  18. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 45-46.
  19. 1 2 Kasozi 1985, p. 46.
  20. ↑ Kasozi 1985, p. 47.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Wall of Fame - UMSC". 25 April 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.

Bibliography

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.