Muslims to hold anti-gay protests today

Muslims across the country are today expected to hold peaceful demonstrations against homosexuality, according to a communication from the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC).
 A February 11 letter seen by this publication gazetted the day for all mosques to express their disagreement with homosexuality, a vice, they say, has reared its ugly head targeting, especially young people.

 “The council requested all Muslim leaders  to have their sermons  on the fight against the vice,  radios and televisions teaching  address the same, peaceful walks through towns with placards  and every district  Muslims representative (Khadi)  issue a press statement against homosexuality,” letter reads in parts.
 The UMSC call came after the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) issued a statement, expressing concern about the increasing promotion of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) agenda in the country.

 The deputy Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Warsaw, said the main aim of the demonstration is to create awareness as well as reinforcing the role of religious leaders in this fight, following a decision of the Church of Uganda to break away from the Church of England that endorsed same sex relations.
 “Nationally, reports on homosexuality have been coming out   with the aim of provoking the public …and this has forced us not to keep silent; instead remind the public on how we can fight it,” he said.

Justification
 He added that there is a need to put more focus on areas where the agents are targeting, especially schools. He advised parents to, where possible, avoid taking their children to boarding sections
 “Parents need to follow up their children when they are at home to identify their characters; this duty should not be left to teachers only because they have a huge number of children with different characters,” he said. 
 The spokesperson of the Kibuli Muslim faction, Dr Muhammad Kiggundu, yesterday said they have already started campaigns against homosexuality   through children seminars. He emphasised the need for concerted efforts from different state holders, especially in shielding the children.  

 “As religious leaders, we cannot do this alone. Government authorities should come out and support schools to fight against the vice because we have realised that homosexuality agents are targeting the young generation,” he said.
 “There must be routine check-ups in the schools by the administration, and teachers should take up like five minutes to talk about the evil of homosexuality, which is taking out humanity,” he added.
 Dr Kiggundu explained that the Quran, labels homosexuality abomination.
 “The whole generation of prophet Lut was put to stop by Allah when people did not accept that Lut was saying the right thing of not practicing homosexuality,” he said.