By Editorial,
President Yoweri Museveni has asked Chief Justice Alfonse Owinyi-Dollo to personally review a decision by the High Court and Court of Appeal allowing the auctioning of properties belonging to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
In a letter dated December 7, written to Owinyi-Dollo, Mr. Museveni said he was taken aback by the decision of the court to allow the sale of Muslim properties including the National Mosque because of a mistake committed by individuals.
What sane person, let alone a Judge can make such orders? How can a Mosque or Church be attached for debts carelessly entered into by officials of that faith, the President wondered, adding that if there is no law protecting Institutions of Worship, then common sense is there.
He therefore requested the Chief Justice to review the matter himself and see how to restore sanity.
The President’s letter followed a petition by the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubaje dated November 29 to the President complaining about how the matter was handled by the judiciary.
On June 24, 2020, the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council acting through its former Secretary General Ramathan Mugalu, Mufti Shaban Ramathan Mubajje, and former chairperson Abdulkadir Idi Balonde who has since died, sold two square miles of land located in Ssembabule district to businessman Justus Kyabahwa at 3.584billion Shillings.
However, the land already had a 15-year lease with Enterprise Holding Services ending in 2028.
Therefore, UMSC was not only unable to transfer the land but also to refund the money leading to its accumulation to the current 19 billion Shillings. END