The Supreme Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Mohamed Galabuzi, has called on Muslims in the Greater Mukono Muslim District to encourage their children to actively participate in supporting Islamic causes, emphasizing the importance of sustaining and growing the faith.
Sheikh Galabuzi made the appeal while officially launching the Deen Fund during a ceremony in Nakifuma, Mukono District.
The fund operates through a digital donation system designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in managing contributions.
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The launch event featured sensitization sessions where community members were educated on the value of charitable giving and trained on using mobile phones to make digital donations.
Rashid Musisi Semanda, Chief Manager for Corporate and SME Banking at Centenary Bank, explained that the bank has partnered with the Uganda Supreme Mufti's office to facilitate the opening of accounts.
"This partnership ensures that funds collected are securely banked and properly accounted for," he said.
Sheikh Abdnoor Kakande, the Greater Mukono Supreme Khadhi, commended the Kibuli leadership for choosing Mukono as the launch site and urged local Muslims to fully support the initiative.
Dr Muhamed Kigundu, Head of Information at Kibuli, noted that Islam in East Africa has traditionally lagged behind other religions in adopting technology for fundraising.
He observed that the conventional mosque-based collection system is outdated and has sometimes led to financial losses.
Dr Kigundu said the Deen Fund will support special interest groups, including youth and women, and help ease the government's burden in assisting vulnerable communities.
Funds collected will be used to finance youth business initiatives, pay school fees for children, and cover medical expenses for those in need.
Sheikh Galabuzi acknowledged that some Muslims had lost morale in contributing to religious programs, prompting the revival of the fund through a technology-driven system that safeguards resources and removes unnecessary intermediaries.
He projected that if one million Muslims participated in the initiative, the fund could raise over Shs 3 billion annually.
He emphasized that consistent giving would ensure Islamic activities run smoothly without overburdening a few individuals, and encouraged parents to instill a culture of charity in their children.
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According to Kibuli officials, children will contribute Shs 1,000 annually, while adults will contribute Shs3,000.
Each mosque will be assigned a unique code to facilitate nationwide digital contributions.
