The titular head of Muslims in Uganda, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, has expressed concern over the resurgence of panga welding gangs in Masaka and mobile money robberies in the country.
Nakibinge made the remarks while speaking at the celebrations to mark 128 years since the late Prince Nuhu Mbogo returned from exile in Zanzibar.
Among the dignitaries that attended the celebration to mark the life and contribution of Prince Mbogo to the spread and development of Islam in Uganda included Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, the minister for Kampala Minsa Kabanda, MPs among others
The celebration took place at Kibuli Mosque in Kampala on Sunday.
Nakibinge asked the government to provide more security across the country for everyone to feel secure.
He said the criminality in the country which includes mobile theft among others that continues to claim lives of innocent Ugandans should be properly managed and eliminated as soon as possible.
"I have heard that the machete wielding gun men have resumed havoc in the greater areas of Masaka. This issue of gun men causing havoc in Masaka has taken almost seven years. It is very absurd for our people to die in such a terrible way. We are always in grief. We ask the security to intensify security in all parts of the country so that people are secure," he said.
Nakibinge condemned the unclear way in which people are being arrested and whisked away for unknown reasons.
"There is an unclear way these days where people are arrested and we ask the security to always be transparent to the issues of arrest. We have on several times asked you(the government) that what transpired in 2021 generally should be left to go .Lets focus on the future," he said.
The Supreme Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Galabuzi, told the Muslims that it is now too late to join Uganda Muslim Supreme Council(UMSC), warning those who are secretly cooperating with the Muslim body.
"We can no longer go back to UMSC, if you are in our government and you expect to be here and there, it is time you quit as soon as possible," he warned.
Minister Kabanda urged the entire Muslim community to always remain united to ensure the progress of Islam in Uganda
"As Muslim we should remain united and we should always put Islam at the forefront of everything we do," she said, citing some of the contributions of Prince Nuhu Mbogo.
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Mbogo, a brother to Kabaka Muteesa I, was in 1893 exiled to Zanzibar by British imperialists as they sought to stump out Islam in Buganda.
Being the first religion to come to Buganda and in effect to Uganda, Islam had established influence in the kingdom's affairs that Kabaka Muteesa I declared it the state religion to the annoyance of some traditionalists.
Islam arrived in Buganda in the early 1840s during the reign of Kabaka Ssuuna II, and, until the 1870s when the Christian missionaries started arriving in Buganda, Islam enjoyed an unrivalled position in the kingdom.
The 1880s put Buganda in a state of war that saw Muslims pushed out of the king's court and many took refuge in Ankole and Kijungute in Bunyoro.
From Kijungute, they plotted a counter offensive but their commander, Kabaka Nuhu Kalema, Mbogo's elder brother, died of smallpox which required the Muslim force to re-strategise.
Mbogo became their leader and was tricked by Capt. Fredrick Lugard, the head of the Imperial British East African Company, returned to the capital. Lugard arrested Mbogo and exiled him to Zanzibar which, according to Islamic scholars, came as a blessing in disguise.
