Acholi Muslims want Sheikh Khelil out of office

Sheikh Musa Khelil (L) with other Muslim leaders at one of the Eid day celebrations in Gulu. PHOTO BY CISSY MAKUMBI.

Gulu. A section of Muslim community in Acholi Sub-region have threatened to oust the current Acholi District Khadhi, Sheikh Musa Khelil. The group accuse Sheikh Khelil of failure to perform his duties.
The group, under their umbrella organisation, Acholi Youth Muslim District, led by Mr Ibrahim Abdul Okwi, a former Khadhi, said Sheikh Khelil’s poor leadership is the leading cause of the decreasing numbers in the Islam faith in the region.

Only solution?
In an Interview with Daily Monitor at the weekend, Mr Okwi said ousting Sheikh Khelil will be the only way to regain the their lost congregation in the region.
Sheikh Khelil has been in office for 15 years.
Mr Issa Abdul, a member of the group, accused Sheikh Khelil of deliberately appointing non-Acholi Muslim leaders, leaving out potential Acholi Muslim candidates within the region.
“If you look carefully, from the County Khadhi down to the Imams, you find that most of them are not Acholi. He is doing this so that they can favour him,” Mr Abdul said.
Sheikh Khelil has, however, dismissed the allegations, arguing that all leaders’ appointment are done purely on merit.
He accused Mr Okwi of plotting to oust him by defaming and tarnishing his name as a way of gaining popularity with the Muslim community.
“I know our Muslim constitution very well, which states that a Khadhi is supposed to step down when he clocks 70 years,” he said.
“Mr Okwi has been looking for all possible means to sabotage me right from day one when he was dismissed as Khadhi over misconduct but God is on my side,” Sheikh Khelil added.