KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: The Mufti of Uganda, His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje has criticized the distribution of the Covid-19 relief cash by the government.
This was carried in his address during Eid Aduha prayers at Gaddafi National Mosque in Kampala. Moslems today across the world celebrate Eid Aduha also referred to as the Festival of Sacrifice which is one of the most important festivals on the Muslim calendar.
The day is used to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to and the Muslims instead slaughter different animals and a third of the meat is eaten by the family offering the sacrifice while the rest is distributed to the poor and needy.
“We thank the government for putting in place measures to assist the vulnerable by giving them cash this time. The cash has not impacted the people…the needy. We desire that this is reversed,” said Mufti Mubajje.
He instead advised the government to procure food and deliver it to the households like it was done last year. He said that cash has hardly reached the vulnerable Ugandans compared to food distributed earlier.
Mubajje also criticized the police for stopping well-wishers from distributing food to starving households. He said instead of blocking them, they should be guided to ensure that the food is distributed in accordance with the Covid-19 SOPs.
On Monday, the Police spokesperson Fred Enanga banned the distribution of food to vulnerable people during the lockdown on grounds of contravening standard operating procedures and quality of handouts.
The Mufti appealed to Ugandans to continue following the standard operating procedures to ensure that the spread of coronavirus is stopped.
“Now we know how Covid-19 infects the person and how to keep away from the infection…so it is upon ourselves to chase away Covid-19. Let’s not place blames on individuals but let’s control ourselves. We shall overcome this situation,” he said.
Mubajje also urged Ugandans to embrace the vaccination exercise.
The government on July 8th launched the distribution of 100,000 Shillings Covid-19 relief cash to vulnerable Ugandans affected by the 42-day lockdown announced by President Yoweri Museveni to interrupt the spread of coronavirus.
Information from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development indicates that the government has so far given out 29 billion Shillings of the Covid-19 relief cash to vulnerable persons affected by the current lockdown.
By Monday 19th July, out of the targeted 501,107 household beneficiaries, 500,900 had been entered into the system and only 207 were yet to be uploaded.
Data indicates that of the uploaded beneficiaries, 289,327 names had been verified, cleared and sent to Post Bank for payment and out of this, 278,595 had been paid by Monday.
However, 87,603 names submitted to benefit from the 100,000 Shillings cash out had been rejected due to different inconsistencies. Some of the reasons for rejection are phone numbers found not to be registered with telecom companies, unregistered, and registered in different names among others.
The Second Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa appealed to Muslims to always demonstrate total submission, commitment to God and love to everyone.
“We have all been exercising fasting, we have been charitable, thinking of others. This kind of thing must be strengthened to build our country. We need to be respectful to our systems…governance systems. That even if there is something wrong, you ought not to use a wrong method thinking that you will correct the wrong thing,” he said.
Sheikh Waiswa also preached against the use of aggression and forceful measures like not allowing suspects to be produced in court to be heard.
He emphasized the need to respect the commandments of God and appealed to Ugandans to avoid murder, faking of essential commodities and drugs, indecent dressing and other vices.
Sheikh Waiswa told Ugandans to have their country at heart and always think beyond quick wealth and other earthly things. He said that by doing this, God will eliminate the Covid-19 pandemic and allow people to go back to their normal lives.
By URN
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