HASSAN KIRYA is the official publicist of the Kibuli based interim leadership headed by Supreme Mufti sheikh Zubair Kayongo. Several scandals have been associated with him, HAMZA KYEYUNE moved to establish truth behind the alleged scandals.

 

Tell me about the days before you became a house hold name.

Yes, am Hassan Ibrahim Kirya, i was born on 2^nd-june 1966 to Hajj Hassan Wasswa Ssesanga (RIP) and Hajjat Noor Nakaiza here in Nakawa. I Studied at Entebbe Qur’an School (Masanga) during Amin regime, thereafter, I went to Kireka UMEA, then to Bilal Islamic Bwaise, to Bilaal Kampala. From there, I went to Sudan where I completed my studies.

Word has been making rounds that when Sheikh Sulyman Kakeeto was ousted out of Nakasero, you encouraged faithfulls to fulfill the verse of booty and help themselves to the property that they found at the mosque. Ultimately, many people lost their property, for example, one Kalibbala Faisal lost property worth 10million shillings. How could you allow something like that to happen?

It is good that you have come to establish the truth that is fair of you, I hope the world will know the truth.  Nakasero mosque was closed by Kakeeto regime and they shifted prayers to Nalule acade, and it remained closed for some time, the veranda where the traders used to work from was fully packed with anti-riot police. The people that were trading from the veranda had removed their and kept it elsewhere that I do not know.

When we took over the mosque, I personally announced to the Muslims that had occupied the mosque that the property found in the mosque here should not be mistaken for booty, never! I told them the property belongs to other Muslims, therefore, do not tamper with it. I further announced that Whoever has come across anything with in the mosque, please hand it over to sheikh Muhamoud Abdallah  Kibaate Ssebugwaawo. Kibaate himself got a microphone and announced that whoever had taken anything, they should bring it back and hand it to him. Those items that were found in the mosque were handed over to sheikh Kibaate, those that had taken items with them brought them back.  We kept those items and who ever came claiming ownership to anything with proof was given back their property.  I had not heard anybody complaining that their stuff is missing, am hearing about it for the first time. So, am saying it again, who ever lost their property simply come to Nakasero and ask Sheikh Kibaate to give you your property. It is not true that we told anyone at Nakasero or anywhere to take anything from Nakasero as booty, it is nothing but lies.

In the words of one that I interviewed, he told me that in order for you to fulfill the verse of the booty, you personally took a microphone from the mosque. Is that another lie sir?

I went with a Microphone? (he is visibly furious)

Yes. That’s what I was told.

You see in this world there are people whose intention is to malign others but when you do that through lies, it makes no sense. Now, I Hassan Kirya take a microphone for what??(Loughs)……that who claims that I took a microphone, If he was present, he did not see properly, if he was told by another person, he was told lies, as simple as that. In a mosque where they were not praying from, had they left there only the microphone that I took? You can see it is blatant lies. When they were going to Nalule arcade, they took everything including the carpets, they should stop lying.

In a letter secured from the Munazzamat country director Abdul-Azeem  Outhman expelled you from Munazzamat for failure to account for funds. How did you fail to account for the funds? Unless you did not honestly spend it

Before I answer your question, it will be helpful for you to first understand Munazzamat and its nature of operation. Munazzamat al-Da’wa al-Islamiyya is an international non-governmental religious organization operating in several countries including Uganda with its headquarters in Khartoum , capital of Sudan, founded in May 1980 .The Munazzamat aims at spreading Islam courteously and gently and at providing social services to the deprived people in Africa regardless to color , race or religion.

I became head of Munazzamat in Uganda in 2000, it is important to note it had not happened before for someone to become a head of Munazzamat in his home country, I was the first.

This is how Munazzamat operates; it receives funding from different countries, for different projects, is that clear? For example money comes from Qatar, Yemen, UAE, and elsewhere. Such money comes with specific assignments, say to construct wells, mosques, schools, and so on.

When UAE sends money through Munazzamat to construct a mosque, after the construction of the Mosque, you have to clearly show the expenditure, how much the construction of the mosque cost, and the balance. The difference here is that the accountability does not go to Munazzamat but to UAE where the funds came from. If Yemen sends you money to construct a school, after the construction of the school, you send accountability to Yemen, not Munazzamat.

What about Munazzamat headquarters? What is their role then?

Munazzamat in Khartoum sends money for administration. It pays for water, electricity, salaries, office administration, maintenance, and so on. So, accountability for such money goes to Khartoum.

In our next issue, we’ll explain the Munazzamat money said to have been swindled by Sheikh Kirya

If you have any concerns regarding our interviews, please email us; editorial@thetorchnews.net, or hamzah.kyeyune@gmail.com