Muslims Reject Census Figures, UMSC Plans Own Census

Muslims Reject Census Figures, UMSC Plans Own Census

By Angel Lubowa

KAMPALA

THE Muslim community in Uganda have rejected the out comes of the latest national census which said their total is about six millions only saying it cannot be true , they double that figure.

His Eminence Dr. Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda, has therefore announced plans to conduct a nationwide Muslim Census to determine the approximate Muslim population in Uganda.

Sheikh Muvajje said this during a speech delivered after Friday Juma prayers at Masjid Abubakar in Mbarara City, Ankole-Kigezi Muslim Region, Western Uganda, on October 11, 2024.

Mubaje explained that UMSC made this decision to express dissatisfaction with the recently released census report, which inaccurately showed a dramatic decline in the Muslim population.

According to the census report released by the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics, the Muslim population stands at 6.05 million, a figure that has been disputed by Muslims nationwide.

“How can someone claim that Muslim polygamous families with multiple children have decreased compared to monogamous families with only one or two children?” he remarked.

He suggested that this could be a calculated move by certain groups to deny Muslims access to national resources by falsely portraying them as a minority.

“We still maintain that the Muslim population has doubled to nearly 12 million from our projections during the UMSC general elections a few years ago.”

In his well-received speech, filled with Quranic quotations and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),

Sheikh Mubaje expressed gratitude to the Mbarara Muslim leadership, led by Kadhi Sheikh Abdallah Mukwaya, UMSC General Assembly members, and the Muslim community for abandoning past conflicts and embracing Islamic values of brotherhood and unity.

He also advised the youth not to be swayed by errant sheikhs who use social media to spread hate speech and insults toward national leaders, including the head of state, the Buganda Monarchy, and the Mufti himself, as this behavior damages the image of Muslims.

According to the UMSC spokesperson, Zziwa Ashraf ,the day’s sermon was delivered by Sheikh Dr. Ziyad Swaleh Lubanga who focused on the importance of brotherhood as ordained by Allah in the Holy Quran.

The Mufti was accompanied by UMSC National Management members and toured the ongoing business center construction.

Other attendees included Dr. Ismail Gainamungu, UMSC Executive Member, Hon. Kassim Kaduyu, General Assembly representative, neighboring district kadhis, county sheikhs, and imams.