The soul of the former Ugandan President Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada must be rolling with a lot of uneasiness after Muslims in Entebbe turned on each other over a 5.2 acre piece of land that he handed to them way back in 1977. The 5.2 acre piece of land located on plot 45-53 portal Road, in Entebbe Town was officially handed over to the Muslims in Entebbe in 1977 and gazetted by Lands Ministry however the piece of land has turned into a controversial matter with Muslims splitting themselves into two factions. One faction is led by Matovu Edirisa (Figo) the chairperson of all Mosques in Entebbe (Twale) and the other faction is led by Hajji Kassim Bukenya under their Entebbe Muslim Community Umbrella.
In a meeting that was held at the Masjid Taqwa Mosque on Sunday June 19, 2016 Matovu Edirisa’s faction squarely blamed Mufti Shaban Mubajje and the entire Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) for plotting to stealthily sell off the piece of land to a yet to be identified Indian Investor who has been accused of hiding behind his company RWS Enterprises to crack the Juicy deal. Matovu’s faction revealed that at one time the Indian Investor was stopped from acquiring the piece of land after Mufti Mubajje and his cronies stealthily sold off the piece of land. Matovu’s faction has vowed to do everything in their power to ensure that the land remains in the hands of Muslims and if need be pour blood.
On Sunday June 26, 2016 the Entebbe Muslim Community faction led by Hajji Kassim Bukenya held a meeting at undisclosed place in Entebbe and revealed that Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) fraudulently handed over the piece of land to the Indian Investor after a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed.
In a turn of events, the Indian Investor under his RWS Enterprises Company dragged UMSC to court after Muslims protested and refused to vacate the piece of land. In 2009 Muslims under the Entebbe Muslims Community Umbrella delivered a petition to the then RDC Sarah Bananuka and Mayor Stephen Kabuye who delivered it to President Museveni. However in 2010 the Indian Investor stormed RDC Bananuka’s office with a court order to have the piece of land handed to him. RDC Bananuka refused to endorse the court order arguing that the piece of land rightfully belonged and still belongs to all Muslims in Entebbe.
In the meeting the Entebbe Muslims Community members pointed fingers at the Wakiso District Khadi Sheikh Ismail Ssebagala for frustrating them on fully securing their piece of land.
The Entebbe Muslim Community faction alleges that Sheikh Ssebagala banned Hajji Kassim and his fellow Entebbe Muslims Community from praying in all Mosques in Entebbe. They too have since hit back and warned Sheikh Ssebagala Ismail from setting foot at all Mosques in Entebbe or else he risks being beaten.
We highly believe that Wakiso District Khadi Sheikh Ismail Ssebagala is frustrating our efforts to secure our piece of land. He is misinforming Mufti Shaban Mubajje over the land issue and we would like to warn him never to set foot in all Mosques in Entebbe because we shall beat him, a member of the Entebbe Muslim Community categorically stated. However Entebbenews cannot independently verify these claims and allegations.
The Entebbe Muslims Community members also pointed fingers at Deputy Supreme Mufti (Kibuli) Sheikh Mahmood Kibaate, Sheikh Kavuma Siraj, Musa Kajubi Kalanzi and Ibrahim Nkangi for conniving with the Indian Investor to hand over the piece of land to him.
Meanwhile the Entebbe Muslim Community faction unanimously agreed not to attend a dialogue meeting that had been slated to take place tomorrow adding that they have filed an application at the Entebbe Chief Magistrates court and the matter will be heard on July 14, 2016.
We aren’t ready for dialogue with the UMSC Secretary for Endowment Dr. Hussein Muhammad Bowa because we’ve already filed our application at the Entebbe Chief Magistrates Court and the case will be heard on July 14, 2016, the Entebbe Muslims Community Members unanimously agreed.
Since last year there has been bad blood between the Edirisa Matovu led faction and the Entebbe Muslim Community faction over management of the Entebbe Muslim properties.
Kassim Bukenya (Chairman), Adadi Sanja (Treasurer), and Sadik Ali (welfare) who were formerly managing the Masjid Taqwa Mosque affairs and properties were thrown out by the Matovu Edirisa faction after they were accused of pocketing cash and revenue from the several lockups and washing bay located in Entebbe Town.
One Muslim who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the two factions have personal interests and are battling to have control of the Muslim properties including the piece of land because they are looking for survival.
For couple of years now, Muslims from the two factions have been embroiled in the controversial piece of land with either side claiming to be the rightful party to manage the piece of land. All this only serves to show how deeply divided Muslims in Entebbe are and unless a clear solution is found; the matter will drag on for years and years.
