Muslims unveil top leadership election roadmap
What you need to know:
- The dispute pits the UMSC top leadership against the outgoing members of the general assembly.
The leadership of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) is locked in controversy over the ongoing disputed elections.
The dispute pits the UMSC top leadership against the outgoing members of the general assembly.
The controversy came up in July when the current leadership led by Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje was accused of organising a general assembly meeting on constitutional amendments without consulting the entire Muslim community as was planned.
Some members of the general assembly rejected the development and went to court to challenge the process.
Northern regional Khadi Sheikh Abdulaziz Hussein, one of the outgoing members, accused Mufti Mubajje, together with UMSC secretary general Ramadhan Mugalu, of overthrowing the council constitution and abusing powers of the general assembly for self enrichment.
“The two have exhibited dishonesty and lack of trust as they have contributed to the loss of Muslim property, instead of acquiring more for the institution as they had promised,” Sheikh Hussein said.
He added that only 2,800 Muslims were consulted about the constitution amendments process yet there are more than nine million Muslims in the country.
Addressing the media yesterday, the USMC electoral commission chairperson, Mr Omar Muhammad Wesswa, said the election process had already kicked off in October, starting with planning meetings for the appointment of candidates for the position of district returning officers, and other presiding officials between October 20 and 30.
“The verification and nomination of all persons intending to run for the position of chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, secretaries, and directly-elected councillors and treasurers at their respective centres across the country will take place on November 17 and 18,” he said.
He noted that on November 24, the commission shall conduct verification and nomination for all persons intending to run for the position of chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers, and directly-elected councillors at the district levels between 8am and 10am.
“On the same date, the commission shall also hold the nomination and election of two members of the UMSC general assembly, one district Muslim woman representative to the Regional Adhoc Council, and one district youth representative to the general assembly,” he said.
Mr Wesswa added that verification and nomination of representatives of women and youth to the National Councils at the gazetted Muslim regional offices in 10 Muslim regions will take place on November 26 from 9am to 10.30am.
“The verification and nomination for all persons interested in the office of the UMSC national chairperson and deputy national chairperson will take place on November, 28 and 29 from 9am to 4pm, followed by the gazetting of the UMSC elected national leaders between November 30 and December 6. This will be followed by the swearing-in of the general assembly member on December 9,” he said.
Talking to the Monitor in a telephone interview yesterday, Sheikh Mohammed Irumba one of the outgoing general assembly members, said whatever the UMSC is doing is violating the UMSC constitution.
“We challenged all the processes which led to the national Muslim elections because the current leadership did not follow the constitution while holding the general assembly,” he said
Sheikh Irumba added that the matter is still in court and they are waiting for court ruling to have a way forward.
