Muslims, through the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, have urged the government to construct for them a standard Muslim Martyrs Shrine in remembrance of the Muslim Martyrs that were killed in Namugongo.
According to Hajji Sulaiman Musana Muwanguzi, the Coordinator of Muslims in Uganda, under the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, the current mosque (Masjid Noor Muslim Martyrs’ Site Namugongo) is in a sorry state. He therefore appealed to the government to construct for them a standard mosque, like Catholics and Anglicans.
“The government helped in constructing the Catholic and Anglican Martyrs Shrines; we request that it constructs for the Muslims as well, because we already have our plan for a four-floor Masjid Namugongo at Kisalusalu,” he said.
Hajji Musana said that the current martyrs’ site at Kisalusalu, Namugongo, is on one acre of land, adding that the five acres were grabbed during the war in 1979 and have never been recovered.
He therefore urged the government, through 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Lukiya Isanga Nakadama, to help them recover their land.
“This site previously had six acres of land, but when the war broke out in 1979 as Amini’s government was being overthrown, the then Masjid was burnt and five acres of land were taken. We currently have only one acre. We request the government, through the Prime Minister Nakadama to help in recovering our land,” Hajji Musana said.
Hajji Musana made the remarks at the commemoration of 179 years of Islam in Uganda (Uganda-SHUHADA’U) in remembrance of the Muslim Martyrs at Kisalusalu, Namugongo, and celebrating 51 years of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council under the theme; ‘Unity and Development for Sustainable Achievement,’ on Thursday, June, 1, 2023. The dua was led by Sheikh Elias Kigozi, the district kadhi of Wakiso Muslim District Council.
Islam was the first religion in Uganda and had been established by Kabaka Muteesa I as the national religion, and the Muslim Martyrs were the first to be burnt to ashes at the current Anglican Martyrs Museum by Mukajanga, the chief executor, under the orders of Kabaka Muwanga in 1979.
