The Deputy Director General of the Internal Security Organization (ISO), Col. Emma Katabazi, has hailed Muslim leaders in Uganda for preserving security in the country, urging them to remain ambassadors in the fight against terrorism.
Col. Katabazi made the remarks on March 6, 2024, at the Golf Course hotel in Kampala while opening a two-day training of Muslim leaders to counter and prevent violent extremism and terrorism in Uganda.
“I thank all Muslim leaders for helping us not to slide into total confusion at a time when some people tag Muslims as terrorists who are killing Ugandans. You have remained calm and called for peace,” Katabazi said.
Katabazi further asked leaders to embrace government programmes because the terrorist groups target poor and vulnerable communities.
“Terrorist masterminds exploit poor communities, and as leaders, we should ensure that all government programmes and projects are well embraced by community members. As leaders, we should tell your community members to embrace programmes like PDM, Emyooga, and others so we can all get out of poverty, leaving the terrorists with minimal targets,” Katabazi added.
While speaking on behalf of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, Sheikh Abdu Rehman Sserunjogyi cautioned Muslims to be cautious of Muslim establishments and do further research on what they stand for and their origins before they work with them.
“Always find out the origins of mosques and Muslim schools in different places before you join them or start working with them. Know exactly what they are teaching because some of them are hiding under the name of Islam to do other bad things, which in return gives the Muslim community a bad name,” Sserunjogyi said.
“I also call upon all Muslim leaders to always respond to government programmes and meetings when called upon. Listen as a leader and inform your people,“ Sserunjogyi added.
The two-day meeting is intended to train one hundred selected Muslim leaders across the various sectors in Kampala, build their capacity, and augment their involvement as Uganda’s ambassadors in the fight against terrorism through training and sensitization.
The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in partnership with the European Union in Uganda and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC). It was attended by leaders from the Office of the Supreme Mufti, the Office of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, the Office of the Director General of ISO, the Office of the President, the Directorate of Counter-Terrorism of Police, and other members of sister security organs.
