By Spy Uganda
Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Police have on Friday morning issued a letter blocking Jumaa prayers that were set to be held at Kololo Airstrip by Muslims from all over Uganda, because the prayers pose a security risk, following the recent Al Shabab terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya.
The prayers had been organized by Kawempe North Member of Parliament Latif Ssebagala, MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda and other Muslim clerics from various mosques across Kampala. The prayers, which the Muslims claimed were aimed at praising Allah and expressing their discontent against people persecuting them, had initially been scheduled to be held on January 11th, 2019.
However, the police asked the Muslims to give them some time to study the matter and even requested them to chose another day of their choice on which to hold the prayers.
Ssebagala, who is the Parliamentary Imam and his group wrote to the police notifying them that they would hold the prayers on January 18, 2019, which was today.
However, the Muslims woke up to shock after reaching Kololo to prepare for prayers only to find there heavy deployment of soldiers and policemen. Soon thereafter the police issued a letter , stating that the Muslims cannot hold Jumaa prayers at Kololo Independence Grounds because those prayers have not been sanctioned by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. The letter written by Fred Enanga, the Police publicist, states partly that: “….This is to inform the general public and in particular, the Muslim Community who were intending to participate in National Jumaa Special prayers at Kololo Independence Grounds today, Friday, January 18th, 2019, that the prayers will not take place, after it was established that the religious gathering that was organised by the Parliamentary Imam, was not cleared by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), the Supreme Muslim body, legally mandated to oversee all activities of the Islamic Faith in Uganda.”
Enanga added in his letter thus; “The police has asked organizers to secure another date, upon harmonizing their request with the Supreme Muslim body, and also cautioned them against proceeding with the religious event, due to lack of security clearance and the potential safety concerns in the wake of the recent incidents in our neighbouring country…..”
