The Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Mobilization and Chief Agent for the NRM Presidential Flagbearer 2026–2031, Moses Byaruhanga, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to financially empower Muslim leaders through special funding to their Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs).
Byaruhanga said the initiative is part of President Yoweri Museveni’s broader strategy to fight poverty and improve the livelihoods of religious leaders, including Imams and Sheikhs, across the country.
“On top of the Parish Development Model (PDM), the President is going to inject funds into SACCOs for religious leaders of Islam and Christianity so that they fight poverty. The Muslims here have already organized themselves from the smallest unit up to the headquarters, and we are going to fund them like we have been doing to other SACCOs,” he said.
He made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing the leadership of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), Regional Assistants to the Mufti, and District Kadhis at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala.
Byaruhanga emphasized that the NRM government promotes inclusive empowerment programs that benefit all Ugandans, regardless of religion or political affiliation.
He further revealed that, apart from SACCOs, Muslim leaders can access interest-free loans through the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC), which operates an Islamic banking provision. “We shall also engage the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) to explore interest-free loan options for you,” he added.
In his remarks, the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, praised the government for supporting the Islamic faith through empowerment programs. He said the new Muslim constitution has streamlined leadership roles, making the community more organized and development-oriented.
“With this new constitution, we are becoming more organized than ever before,” Sheikh Mubaje said, urging district Kadhis to embrace modern mobilization strategies, including the use of social media, and to register all Muslim properties across the country.
“We should know our property like schools, mosques, and land. Some people are using our property to fight us. We are going to institute a legal team to deal with those trying to grab our assets,” he warned.
Sheikh Mubaje also expressed gratitude to President Museveni for the financial commitment to SACCOs for Imams and Sheikhs, saying the funds would help them start businesses and improve their livelihoods.
UMSC Secretary General Hajji Abbas Sekyanzi Muluubya noted that the Council has made significant progress in uniting Muslims under one leadership and revealed that the Muslim Martyrs’ site in Namugongo is now fully under UMSC control and under development.
He also encouraged Muslims to resolve internal disputes through the Muslim Arbitration Council before seeking legal redress in court.
The meeting was attended by the 2nd Deputy Mufti, Dr. Sheikh Hafiz Muhammad Harunah Bukenya, and State House officials Hajjat Mariam Namayanja and Hajjat Shabilah Nassali.