Muslims protest arrest of their leaders
Police inspect the scene where Maj Muhammad Kiggundu was gunned down on November 26 at Masanafu, a Kampala suburb. Cases of gun misuse have been on the increase. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI.
Kampala- Enraged Muslims have accused President Museveni’s government of persecution and demanded that the police authorities explain “endless arrests” of their leaders on what they called “bogus charges” under the guise of police investigations into the spate of killings that have rocked the country.
The latest outburst in the face of endless investigations into endless killings, was provoked by the arrest of seven Muslim clerics from Nakasero Mosque, including their leader [Amir], Sheikh Yahaya Mwanje, in connection with the assassination of Sheikh Muhammad Kiggundu, who was gunned down on November 26 at Masanafu, a Kampala suburb.
Govt tasked
Addressing journalists on Friday, enraged Tabliq leaders led by their spokesperson, Mr Siraje Kifampa Nsambu, asked government to explain the endless arrests and illegal detention of their leaders and insisted that the arrests were based on rumours and speculations and that they were intended to hoodwink the Muslims that they are making progress.
“These abrupt arrests without any investigations have inflicted fear and panic among Muslims. We don’t know who is going to be arrested next and for what. They pick Muslims at night as if they are criminals. Even those they arrested, they don’t even produce them to court, they are keeping them illegally. This impunity must stop. They have portrayed our leaders as if they are murders,” Mr Nsambu said.
Police spokesperson Andrew Kaweesi and Mr Emilian Kayima, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, on Thursday confirmed the arrest of Sheikh Ismail Kasibante, Sheikh Ayub Nyende, Mr Abdul Mu’minu Said, and Mr Umar Ausi Kamoga claiming the quartet is linked to the killing of Maj Kiggundu.
Mr Nsambu, Sheikh Mahmoud Kigozi, Mr Siraje Mukiibi, Kampala District Amir and Mr Milaadu Kaluma on Friday said it was an act of impunity for government, through police, to resort to arresting, torturing and unconstitutionally detaining innocent Muslims leaders instead of hunting for the killers of Muslim clerics.
Since Maj Kiggundu was gunned down by unknown assailants moving on motorcycles, police have reportedly arrested more than 12 suspects that include six Muslim clerics, three boda-boda operators and three security operatives.
Sheikh Mwanje, the acting Tabliq leader, was arrested a day after Maj Kiggundu was killed and has since been in detention.
At least 14 Muslims, including Sheikh Yunus Kamoga, former Tabliq leader, were arrested in 2015 and are currently being tried in court on allegations of having participated in the killing of close to a dozen Muslim clerics.
Some of the Muslim clerics that have been killed since 2012 include Sheikh Ssentamu, Sheikh Abdul Muwaya, Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga, and Sheikh Hassan Kirya. Police have always attributed the killings to Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) accomplices operating in Kampala.
“We would like to bring it to public attention that Muslim wrangles have existed since the inception of Islam in Uganda, but there has never been a single instance of Muslims killing one another like government portrays it in order to justify its actions against Muslims,” Mr Nsambu said.
Muslims through Muwema & CO Advocates & Solicitors have written to Director of Public Prosecutions protesting continuous illegal detention of Sheikh Mwanje and arrests of Muslim leaders.
Mr Kaluma said: “If police say its ADF killing Muslim leaders, why does it arrest Nakasero and William Street leaders? Does it mean ADF headquarters are here? Why can’t the police come and pick the guns used to kill Muslims if they are here,” Mr Kaluma asked.
In his response, Mr Kaweesi said without substantiating his claim that the Muslim leaders were better placed to answer the question of why they are the ones being arrested. Mr Kaweesi didn’t explain why police detective were arresting Muslims without prior investigations into the extent of their involvement.
“That is the question they should ask themselves. Why is it that they are the ones linked to the murders not any other Muslim faction,” Mr Kaweesi asked.
Citing an example of Rwenzururu King Wesley Mumbere, who has been produced in court three times yet he was arrested after Sheikh Mwanje, the Muslims accused government of selective application of justice.
