We will change the way people look at Muslims slowly if we all wholeheartedly work together. That is for sure, as long as we find a way to get united and address problems in our community in a respectable way. Nonetheless, I’m still so disturbed with the idea of Kibuli Vs Old Kampala- it is making Muslims losing out on a lot of things. I wish we could find a way of uniting both factions as the Egyptians have united the Palestine factions. Some people would like us to remain disunited for their own selfish reasons. So it is upon us to change it this time.

I was also surprised to find out that former NRM minister, Mr.Isaac Musumba is a Muslim. He has never given anyone any reason to think so, but that is ok, because we all serve our Allah in different ways. I know he is married to FDC Vice president, Salaam Musumba, and they have got children. I wonder if the kids are following their father’s religion or the mum’s.

Anyway, that is beside the point, but what I would like to know is how is someone chosen to represent the country in the Organisation of Islamic Conference(OIC)? Is it the president who appoints someone for this position or he does this after some consultations with the Muslim leaders? Is Isaac Musumba being rewarded this post for being a loyal servant of NRM or it is because he is a good Muslim and more patriotic than others in the NRM? Why can’t for instance, my Newvision brother and a strong NRM supporter, Ahmed Katerega, take up this position?

Politically, I know why president Museveni is doing this: he hates keeping his dropped ministers or army officers idle. He always finds them something to keep them busy, but he is costing us so much, and I think this need to change. There should be a Muslim committee that the president is supposed to consult on certain appointments of Muslim leaders in certain political or rewarding positions, and it’s upon us to raise our voices against this some form of injustice. This should not continue indefinitely. We have got respectable Muslim leaders that can be consulted on issues such as this one.

I would also like the Muslim leaders on this forum to tell the president to preserve the docket for ‘GOVERNOR, BANK OF UGANDA’ for Muslims as he did when he had just come to power. I assume Dr.Kiggundu Sulaiman made some mistakes as a Governor of the Bank of Uganda but there is no doubt in anybody’s mind that he was among the best financial or banking brains the country has ever produced, and he did a good job on earth for both Muslims and Ugandans. Muslims have now got a lot of educated people that can fulfil all these positions if called to serve. There is no reason why the leaders of Uganda should continue to undermine us as they have been doing since independence.

Mengo should also find a way to address this religious inequality in terms of cabinet positions. We have never had a Muslim Katikiro anywhere among the kingdoms in Uganda, why? Catholics and Protestants have been Katikiros at Mengo as far as history goes yet Kabaka is supposed to be for us all. Buganda, being some form of stateless nation, represents all tribes and religions in it, and I believe Muslims are part of it. Please the Mengo officials should look into this imbalance seriously because we will keep reminding them till when we see some changes.

Anyway, as long as Muslims use this forum and their respective organisations to develop ideas on how they can address certain issues in their communities, we will be fine. Leaders who do wrong will be exposed. Those who do the right things will be openly praised. That is what we gonna do here if everybody is up to it.

Byebyo banange

Abbey Semuwemba