President Museveni Commits to Supporting Muslim Communities’ Development under Sharia Law
During a meeting with Muslim leaders, President Yoweri Museveni expressed his willingness to examine how Sharia ideas can be incorporated into the existing Parish Development Model (PDM) and offered to establish a separate budget and channel for Muslims to advance on their own terms.
In a meeting with Muslim leaders in Uganda yesterday 11th July 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made a commitment to assist them in developing their communities in accordance with Sharia law should they encounter any challenges with the existing Parish Development Model (PDM) effort.
“Let me examine it and determine how to include Sharia ideas into the PDM. We can investigate it, and if there are any issues, we can set up a separate budget and channel for Muslims so that you can advance on your own terms,” stated H.E. Museveni.
Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga, who also serves as the Head of Jumiat Dawa Al Salafiya at Nakasero Mosque, Sheikh Silman Kasule Ndirangwa, Sheikh Obeid Kamulegeya, and Professor Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, the National Chairperson of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), among others, were present at the meeting, which was held at State House Entebbe. At the time of the meeting, the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje, was travelling back from Morocco after performing official business there.
Muslim leaders demanded support from the President for their alternative Islamic Parish Development Model after complaining that several government programmes to fight poverty discriminate against them.
They claim that in accordance with Islamic principles, programmes like the PDM offer loans with interest, which is prohibited by Islamic law and is therefore termed riba. Due to the perception that it is exploitative, it is regarded as haram, or forbidden.
The Arabic word “riba,” which meaning “to increase” or “to exceed,” is frequently used to refer to unfair trades or borrowing fees and penalties. Interest is considered riba, or an exploitational, unfair gain, and is therefore against Islamic law.
The President began by lecturing the Muslim leaders on the benefits of the Parish Development Model for Uganda, emphasising that the government seeks to control inflation with an interest rate of no more than 10% on the PDM funds.
In Feb 26th 2022, President Museveni established the PDM in Kibuku’s Eastern district with the goal of eradicating poverty by carrying out development initiatives at the parishes.
“It is your money and not the government’s that we are putting into your SACCOs as PDM funding. I particularly dislike the riba where someone seeks to get wealthy utilising the resources of the underprivileged. The problem is to protect the money from depreciating,” H.E. Museveni informed the Muslim leaders.
Sheikh Yunus Kamoga previously reminded the President that they are required by their Islamic regulations to share both gains and losses in any financial assistance granted to them.
“If we get a problem in our business, we share the losses collectively between the business owner and the SACCO members-operators but others like PDM, whether you have made profits or losses, you have to pay back with interest. That is where the problem is,” Sheikh Yunus Kamoga told the President, adding that the business owner shares 60 percent, and the SACCO remains with 40 percent.
“Write to me about it and after understanding it I will also educate these other Ugandans,” H.E Museveni replied.
Sheikh Kamulegeya expressed gratitude to President Museveni for allowing the enactment of the Income Tax Amendment Bill No.2 of 2023 which cleared all legal roadblocks to the commencement for the long-awaited Islamic banking products in Uganda. “We thank you for that Mr. President,” Sheikh Kamulegeya said.
On his part, the leader of the delegation who is also the National Chairperson of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, Prof. Muhammad Lubega said a concept has already been drafted of how the PDM can work under the Sharia law.
The President promised to study the concept and re-invite them for a meeting to finalize.
Prof. Kisambira further thanked President Museveni for facilitating the election of Muslim leaders countrywide. He said that about 7 million Muslims aged 18 years and above participated in the elections from the total of 14,900 mosques countrywide under the 78 Muslim districts.
“Our gospel is that every mosque must have an income generating project. Each mosque has at least 4 acres of land which is idle,” Prof. Kisambira emphasized. He also thanked the President for the Shs7.5 billion provided to renovate Old Kampala Mosque, saying so far Shs2 billion has been provided and utilized properly.
President Museveni also promised to support their goat rearing projects aimed at increasing meat production.
Other concerns raised by the Muslim leaders were the establishment of at least 4 regional Muslim theological schools and setting up income generating ventures on land owned by Muslim in cities and municipalities to which the President accepted.
Sheikh Silman Kasule Ndirangwa thanked the President for signing the law against Homosexuality saying it has raised Uganda’s flag high as far as respecting cultures and good morals are concerned.
