After spending more than 6 months without going to mosques due the lockdown that was put in place by government to cub down the spread of covid-19, many Muslims in Uganda who had missed 26 Jumma prayers yesterday (25th September 2020) resumed going to the mosques.
Following president Museveni’s recent address in which he gave a green light for worship places to resume services, many people disregarded the detail that the re-opening takes effect on October 15th. And those who turned up for prayers found willing religious leaders who obliged and let them in, provided they were among the first seventy to do enter.
However, several Muslims who had gone to attend their first post
lockdown Juma prayer at Uganda Muslim supreme council mosque- old Kampala got a
taste of the state’s presence as security at the national mosque who had orders
to allow in only 70 congregants and ask the rest to go back.
By 11am, the number of seventy had already been attained, and the mosque
officials first eliminated those who did not have prayer mats. Still many
people remained outside beyond the permitted twenty. This control
prompted protest and exchange of words between the mosque security officials
and Muslims who were blocked outside the entrance.
However, Madoi Sulaiti Mabuli, the chief security officer at UMSC said
it was absurd that the mosque administration could not allow the number to
exceed 70 because that was the directive issued by government.
He said they could not however chase away Muslims who decided to pray from
outside hence passing on a request to government to give special consideration
to big prayer places as long as they can meet the regulations and guidelines.
Meanwhile, the Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje urged Muslims who feel bothered with the current set up and way of doing things, to keep calm and follow the government guidelines, not only to save their lives and those of fellow Muslims, but also to pass what he calls the first test towards more easing of the lockdown. ENDS
