Gaddafi Mosque In Urgent Need of Renovation.

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council has accused the Ministry of Finance of deliberately refusing to release funds to renovate Gaddafi National Mosque as promised by President Museveni seven years ago.

According to Sheikh Imran Abdnoor Ssali, the Secretary in charge of Preaching and Islamic Propagation(Dawa)-UMSC, President Museveni had pledged to renovate the said Mosque in the run up of 2016 General Elections as he visited UMSC at Old Kampala.

Sheikh Ssali claims that the pledge came after the Mufti of Uganda,His Eminence Sheikh Ramadthan Mubaje requested President Museveni for the assistance.

“The president stood in this very place and pledged to support the renovation of this Mosque seven years ago. He argued that since the late Gaddafi built us a magnificent Mosque, it was upon the government to maintain it,” he said. 

Adding that “Two days after the president's visit, a team from the UPDF Engineering Brigade came here and did an assessment and presented their findings to the President.”

Sheikh Ssali explained that there after, the President  tabled the proposal before the cabinet, which okayed the renovation works.

“The president directed the Minister of Finance, Hon. Matia Kasaija in writing to release the funds and even copied it to our leaders here. But its now seven years down the road nothing has been done,” he said. 

He noted that Kasaija's refusal to implement the presidential directive is a sign of discrimination against Muslims. 

“We can’t take this lightly. We have nothing about the President. He played his part. We blame Hon. Kasaija and view this as discrimination against Muslims. How come they release money to support other religious groups and not Muslims,? He asked. 

And as a result, Sheikh Ssali has urged all Muslims to come together and  join hands to renovate the mosque. “After losing all hope of getting help from the government and other donors it is our prayer that Muslims join hands to renovate the National mosque,” he said.

He explained that the National Mosque needs urgent renovation as Muslims prepare for the Holy Month of Ramadhan, which is less than two months away.

“We Shall soon release a program for the renovation please support it. We have no choice but to work on the Mosque,” he said.