MPs threaten to stage protests over arrested Muslims clerics

Members of the Muslim Parliamentary Caucus have demanded that the government should grant detained Muslim clerics access to their families, doctor, lawyers and produce them in courts.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) led by Mr Asuman Basalirwa, the Bugiri Municipality representative, who doubles as the chairperson of the Muslim Parliamentary Caucus, told journalists yesterday during a press conference at the House that if the government fails to adhere to their demands, they would consider other options.

“Should government fail to adhere to the demands we have made, we will have no option but to do two things; to carry out a nationwide mobilisation against the government. We will move around the country, rally the Muslims and remind them that they are also citizens of this country, have a share in this country and that their rights should not be trampled upon. I don’t think that the government wants us to take that option,” Mr Basalirwa said.

The second alternative the Caucus is considering suing the government and individual security officers, who are responsible for the arrests of the Muslim clerics. Mr Basalirwa was backed by colleagues including Abdallah Kiwanuka of Mukono County North, Hassan Kirumira (Katikamu County South), Abdul Mutumba (Kiboga West), Yusuf Nsibambi (Mawokota County South), Nicholas Kamara (Kabale Municipality) and Muwada Nkunyingi (Kyadondo County East).

The MPs pointed out Sheikh Yahaya Mwanje, a cleric, among those their leaders they claim are being illegally detained by security agencies.

“We also want to observe a pattern that is developing of the discrimination [by] arresting Muslim religious leaders. Nobody would arrest a Catholic or Protestant leader in this manner. Why is [this then] happening to Muslim leaders? What have we done to Mr Museveni and NRM (National Resistance Movement) to invite this kind of treatment on Muslim leaders,” Mr Basalirwa said.

 He added: “There was some lazy statement made on the floor of Parliament to the effect that Sheikh Yahaya Mwanje is with CMI (Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence) but nobody has seen him there. He is inaccessible. This is illegal and unconstitutional. Why would a religious leader of that profile be kept incommunicado?”

This statement on the floor of Parliament was made last week by the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, who told lawmakers that Sheikh Mwanje, the former acting Amir of Jamatil Dawatil Salafiya Tablique Community, was currently being held at the detention centres of CMI.

It is claimed that Sheikh Mwanje was abducted by armed people dressed in civilian clothes. While addressing the media at the weekly conference at police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, yesterday, the police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, said the CMI was better positioned to answer concerns on Sheikh Mwanje.

“They have told them [people concerned] where Sheikh Mwanje is. Let them go to the CMI headquarters in Mbuya or get in touch with the leadership of UPDF and then get answers. There is an institution which has owned up and it is an approachable institution. Please, let’s go there and get to find out what involvement Sheikh Mwanje was actually in and if it is something which is in violation of matters of national security, they get the explanation from there,”  he said.

Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, the army spokesperson,  said they do not deliberately target arrest Muslim clerics but rather individuals who are suspects.

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