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Ugandan Muslims in US to support local Imams
(L-R): Ms Amina Katumba, Mr Haruna Kabuye, Supreme Mufti Zubair Kayongo, Siraje Mugambe, Shuby Muyanja. Back row (L-R): Sheikh Nooh Muzaata, Prince Khalifan Kakungulu, and Sheikh Hamiddu Kateregga in
Los Angeles, California, USA. Courtesy photo.
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He praised the US government for providing an enabling environment for various religious groups to engage their members for religious and development activities.
KAMPALA- Ugandan Muslims living in the US have promised financial support to local Imams to enable them execute their spiritual work effectively.
Mr Haruna Kabuye, the president Ugandan Muslim Community in California (UMCC) said Imams do a great job of uniting and spiritually guiding Muslims but have for long been neglected.
“We have been told what our Imams go through to execute their spiritual work and we find it necessary as Muslims living in the Diaspora to do something to uplift their standards,” he said in a statement on Friday
Unlike Catholic and Anglican priests who are well facilitated to execute their spiritual work, Imams receive no salaries and many lack accommodation at the mosques they head .Many survive on handouts from generous Muslims and few have of recent started engaging in small income generating businesses to make ends meet.
A total of 11,000 Imams are heading various mosques across the country.
As part of the support, Kabuye said, UMCC will also establish an Islamic leadership Training Centre, the first of its kind in Uganda where Imams will be equipped with management and leadership skills
“Skills in management and leadership is a component many of our Imams lack and we pray that our programme becomes a reality so that we retool our leaders and they become more competitive in their communities,” he added.
The pledge was made last week when a delegation from Uganda led by Supreme Mufti Sheikh Zubair Kayongo visited the US .The delegation was hosted in Los Angeles after successfully attending the Annual Muslim Conference organised by UAMA in Baltimore, Maryland.
Sheikh Nooh Muzaata Batte, the head of Imams in Uganda, who was also part of the delegation, applauded the Ugandan Muslims in the US for the unity they exhibited during their visit and promised to replicate the same back home.
“What we saw there [in US] is different from what is here. Our brothers and sisters in leadership exhibit high level of integrity and transparency in whatever they –something we need to copy if we are to move forward as a community,” he said
Sheikh Kayongo thanked the Ugandan community in California for the warm reception. "I thank you for your welcome, and for making our visit to the state of California a memorable one."
He praised the US government for providing an enabling environment for various religious groups to engage their members for religious and development activities.
“It is through that freedom of worship they enjoy that seem to have enabled them to maintain cohesion through religious, social and cultural engagements,” Sheikh Kayongo said
The colourful event was also graced by several religious leader including Rev. Sam Magala of the Ugandan Community Church in Los Angeles, Pastor Robinah Kayongo of Alpha Restoration Ministries and members of the Ugandan Catholic group.
Unlike the Catholics and Anglicans who benefited from colonial education programmes which enabled them set up good schools ,Muslims lagged behind as they concentrated on doing businesses and learning Islamic theology lessons until 1940 when Uganda Muslim Education Association was formed .The formation of UMEA saw many Muslim schools set up and many Muslim children going to school.
