Court restrains Masaka regional Kadhi from performing official duties

The Masaka Chief Magistrate has issued a temporary injunction restraining the Masaka regional Kadhi, Sheikh Swaibu Ndugga, from carrying out his official duties.

The court order dated June 22, 2021 was issued by Mr Charles Yeteise, the Masaka Chief Magistrate.

This came after Sheikh Ahmad Kayemba, the suspended general secretary of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) for Greater Masaka sub region dragged Sheikh Ndugga to court claiming that he is over 80 years which is against the UMSC Constitution.

In his application, Sheikh Kayemba claims he was duly elected as the general secretary on December 3, 2000, but Sheikh Ndugga no longer allows him to perform his duties and asks court to throw him (Ndugga) out of office, saying he is unfit for the position having already clocked the retirement age.

Through his lawyer Sumaya Nalunkuuma, Sheikh Kayemba also alleges that on May 5, 2009, the then District Kadhi late Sheikh Huzairu Kiruuta was removed from office by the district Muslim council after attaining the retirement age and Sheikh Ndugga was appointed acting district Kadhi, but  since then, he  has refused to relinquish office.

“Sheikh Ndugga was asked to vacate office, but he refused to do so and has illegally  continued to perform the duties of the district Kadhi including carrying out administrative work like appointing  imams, suspension of members of district executive committee and collecting rent from Muslim property among others,” Sheikh Kayemba contends.

In his ruling, Mr Yeteise issued an intern order restraining Ndugga from suspending any member of the district executive committee, authorisation of collection of rent by anybody from the Muslim property and carrying out any administrative duty of the district Kadhi of Greater Masaka until further orders from court.

But in an interview on Saturday Sheikh Ndugga said he will not respect the court injunction, insisting that Sheikh Kayemba was suspended after aiding the illegal sale of Muslim land in Sembabule District.

“That is why I decided to stop him from performing his duties as general secretary. He was also illegally withdrawing money from the Muslim bank account,” he said.

Mr Yeteise however asked Sheikh Ndugga to appear before court on September 6, 2021 to respond to allegations leveled against him.

Sheikh Ndugga took over office following the retirement of the late Sheikh Huzair Kiruta , who had been in the position for more than 40 years. Although the late Kiruta was under the Old Kampala based UMSC administration, his successor [Sheikh Ndugga] switched allegiance to the Kibuli based Muslim faction.

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