Huda Oleru, the Veteran Affairs State Minister, has praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for encouraging Muslims to document their history.
“I want to thank His Excellency President Museveni for awakening us when he wrote to all religious institutions in 2012 to document our history. Without his initiative, our history might still be in books,” she said.
The Minister spoke at Namugongo Shuhadah Mosque, representing the third Deputy Prime Minister Lukia Isanga Nakadama, during the commemoration of Muslim Martyrs on Friday, June 8, 2024.
An estimated 100 Muslims were burned alive at the Namugongo Protestant shrines on the orders of Kabaka Mutesa for defending their beliefs.
However, little was known about the Muslim Martyrs until Professor Badru Katerega Ddungu, the proprietor of Kampala University, pushed for their recognition.
Oleru admitted she wasn’t familiar with the story of the Muslim Martyrs and emphasized the need to educate Muslims about the history of Islam in Uganda. “The most important thing is that we have started, and we will now recruit others. We should use all available avenues, like social media, to share the correct information,” she said.
Adding, “The next budget, Insh-Allah (God Willing), if I am still in the cabinet, will be better than what we have today. I will be your ally. We must prepare ourselves better for public engagements.”
Parliament allocated Shillings 200 million for the commemoration of Muslim Martyrs Day. Speaking at the same event, Deputy Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Waiswa noted that some Muslims criticize the event without understanding its objectives.
“It’s not easy for everyone to understand. One of our projects here is to establish a theological college to educate people,” he said.
He explained, “The leadership of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council has transformed. We’ve faced many challenges, including high illiteracy levels.”
He advised those developing the Masjid Shuhadah project to be honest and efficient and praised Museveni for his open-mindedness and support for various faith groups.
“We thank the government, particularly President Museveni, for his open mind and support to people of faith. As part of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), I know the president’s support for us,” he said.
Professor Badru Ddungu Ssalongo, chairperson of the Masjid Shuhadah development committee, noted that his interest in the history of Muslim Martyrs began while studying at Makerere University.
“I came across a paper by Prof. Welborn and Ahmad Katumba on the forgotten Martyrs of Uganda. I decided to research further and reduce ignorance about Muslim history,” he said.
He criticized those opposed to the commemoration of Muslim Martyrs, calling them ignorant of Muslim history. “How much do they know about the history of Islam in Uganda? The ignorant can’t teach. Our duty is to increase knowledge. We should be knowledgeable and kind. The living must help the dead, which is why we pray for these people. Don’t let anyone intimidate you. The problem today is that everyone who learns a little Arabic becomes a Mufti,” he said.
He emphasized that Muslims must remember their Martyrs. “They are not saints because Islam doesn’t have saints. We don’t worship them; they are just deceased Muslims. The uninformed shouldn’t dominate us. Stand up to be counted,” he said.
Deputy UMSC Secretary General in charge of planning, Abdurazak Alinda, noted that the prayers were part of the pre-activities for the main event at the UMSC headquarters on Monday.
He revealed that UMSC has big plans for the Shuhadah mosque site. “We are negotiating with the government to develop this place. We want a big mosque, shops, and a school here,” he said.
