Mayuge’s development tiger gunned down

On the evening of Thursday the cruel hand of death struck at the very centre of Mayuge District, taking with it the life of Sheikh Abdul Kadhir Muwaya.

The man, who was the leader of the Shi’ite Muslim Sect in Uganda, was gunned down at his home by two unknown gunmen, who sped off on a motorcycle soon after their diabolical mission.

The murder which occurred moments after he had left the mosque where he had just said his evening [Ishah] prayers - the last of the five that every Muslim is required to say in line with the five pillars of Islam, was one most foul.

“Yes my brother. That is what has happened to the old man,” said his son, Omar Bongo, who is also the Mayuge District chairperson.

I first met the man, who the village folks fondly call Dakhtur in March 2013. He had no bodyguards and no muscle men around him and his attire of tunic and matching leather sandals was no close to that adorned by many religious clerics of today including sheiks, pastors and priests among others.

Even when he sat down for the interview, it was hard getting him going. The man who has for more than 30 years hovered over the politics and development of Mayuge was very reluctant to speak.

“I don’t want to talk a lot about myself lest people think I am praising myself. I usually want people to judge me by my appearance and deeds. That is where I usually stop then let the person judge me. I am sure that is why you came,” he said.

He was a firm believer in the saying: “A tiger does not proclaim his tigretude” and therefore laid no markers to his territory.

Therefore, while everyone recognised him as the leader of the Shi’ite Muslims Sect in Uganda, he preferred not to look at himself that way.

The convener
“I don’t see myself as the leader. You can maybe call me a convener,” he said.

Sheikh Muwaya was born in an impoverished family of 14 children in Kavule village, Imanhyiro Sub-county in Mayuge District in the 1950s.

His mother was from a long line of Sunni Muslim clerics and he was in his formative years tutored by his maternal uncle, the late former Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ibrahim Saad Luwemba.

He started his education in the early 1960s in Namakoko Islamic Primary School in Namutumba District and proceeded to Machakos Islamic High School, Bilal Muslim Mission in Mombasa, before joining the city of the Hawza of the Iranian City of Qom where he studied Islamic Philosophy.

The nexus of the Ahlul Bait Islamic Foundation later joined the prestigious Imam Khomeini International University for his Masters and eventually earned his Doctorate in 1985.

In the course of the post graduate studies, he worked with the Iranian Embassy in Kenya and with the Iranian ministry of culture and Islamic guidance where he helped translate some of the speeches and literary works of the then president and spiritual leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei.

That coupled with his tours of Iran inspired him to initiate plans to cause change in Mayuge, which was then still a county under Iganga.

“I realised I could put his teachings into practice. Besides, unlike many people who go to the Arab World and spend most of their time in the grounds of their universities, I had time to move around and interact with many people. I learnt many things which I thought would benefit us,” he says.

The first development project he initiated was Tawheed Primary School which was began in 1979 when he was still a student.

According to Sheikh Muwaya’s narrative, Tawheed Primary School provided free education to majority of its pupils through provision of meals, uniforms and scholastic materials.

The politics of the early 1980s however compelled him to spend more time in Kenya than in Uganda, which affected the pace of development at Tawheed.

The desire to enjoy an uninhibited stay in Uganda and acquaintance with some of the actors compelled him to participate in the Nairobi Peace talks.

After the guns had fallen silent in most parts of western, central, south and eastern Uganda, he returned to register the Ahlul Bait Islamic Foundation which has since constructed more than 24 mosques, 20 primary schools and helped educate thousands of children at all levels who have since gone on to assume high positions in government.

The foundation also helped to secure funding for the extension of electricity to Mayuge, digging more than 40 boreholes in the district and providing free medical care, running water, ICT training as well as providing more than 300 people with direct and indirect employment.

Not taking the argument that religious leaders should not participate in politics too seriously, he encouraged his son, Omar Bongo, to join active politics, becoming the chairperson of Mayuge District.

“The teachings of Islam show you that the Prophet was the leader of our faith, commander of the army and master of the politics, but to put it more correctly, I am not a politician, but I understand politics.

However, the politics I am talking about is the politics of justice and truthfulness. When you are truthful to people you help them with what they need and that is not far from religion,” he said then.

That Mayuge had in his last years began the transformation from a backwater district to an economic power house in Busoga was something that he was thankful that Allah had enabled him to see.

But he has not lived to see his longtime dream of tarmacking the road from Musita, through Mayuge to Namayingo. Hopefully his job has been a complete one where others can pick from.

POLICE ARREST SOME SUSPECTS

Police working on a tip off and with the aid of soldiers from Magamaga Ordinance Depot have started to investigate circumstances under which Sheikh Dr Abdul Kadhir Muwaya was killed on Thursday night.
Regional police commander of south Busoga, Moses Muluya said they had arrested four suspects believed to be key planners of the killing.
Other investigating arms including the Police Flying Squad, according to Mr Muluya, have been called in to assist.

Profile
Sheikh Abdul Kadhir Muwaya
Background: Sheikh Muwaya was born in a humble family of 14 children in Kavule village, Imanhyiro Sub-county in Mayuge District in the 1950s. His mother was from a long line of Sunni Muslim clerics and he was in his formative years tutored by his maternal uncle, the late former Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ibrahim Saad Luwemba.

Education: He started his education in the 1960s at Namakoko Islamic Primary School in Namutumba District and proceeded to Machakos Islamic High School, Bilal Muslim Mission in Mombasa, before proceeding to the Iranian City of Qom where he studied Islamic Philosophy. He later joined Imam Khomeini International University for his masters and eventually earned his doctorate in 1985.

Work experience: He worked with the Iranian Embassy in Kenya and with the Iranian ministry of culture and Islamic guidance where he helped translate some of the speeches and literary works of the then president and spiritual leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei.