President Yoweri Museveni has highly commended the Muslim fraternity in Uganda for their contribution to the country’s economy.
“They are good traders. It is through their trading with us that I got school fees. I encourage them also to explore farming,” he said.
The President was speaking at the Iftar Dinner that he hosted last evening at State House, Entebbe for the Muslim fraternity to break their fast in this holy month of Ramadhan.
The President, who congratulated the Muslim community in Uganda and elsewhere in the world for having accomplished 19 days of fasting so far, wished them a successful month of Ramadhan.
“I want to congratulate you on coming this far on Ramadhan and I pray that we shall finish when we are in good condition,” he said.
Mr. Museveni expressed happiness to note that there are fewer divisions in the Muslim community and highly appreciated the efforts of the Muslim fraternity towards peace building in the country.
He assured the Muslims in the country that under the NRM Government, the actions of a few individual Muslim criminals, cannot be generalized to incriminate all Muslims, adding that crime has no religion.
“When we were fighting Amin, who said he was a Moslem, we were supported by many Moslems. Just because one Moslem has committed a crime, doesn’t mean every Moslem is a criminal,” he added.
Regarding the Muslim Martyrs who died for their faith at Namugongo, like their Christian counterparts, President Museveni said that the government is going to work with the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, to finalize the issue.
He also said the government is working to help the Muslim fraternity to recover the 6 acres of land that was allocated to them at Namugongo where they could build a mosque as a memorial for the 39 Muslim faithful who died for their religion.
President Museveni saluted Ambassadors from Muslim countries of Turkey, Somalia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Sudan, among others, for joining their brothers in this year’s lftar dinner.
He extended an invitation to entrepreneurs from those countries to come and partner with their Muslim brothers in Uganda and invest in the country.
The Mufti of Uganda, His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, commended President Museveni for hosting the Muslims to an Iftar dinner.
He also thanked him for empowering religious leaders through the Inter-religious Council of Uganda and pledged to work with government in the fight against household poverty in the country.
As he congratulated Muslims in the country for fasting, the Mufti urged them to use dialogue and other peaceful means to solve their grievances in order to promote peace not only in Uganda but the world at large.
NRM National Vice-Chairman, Haji Moses Kigongo and Premier Ruhakana Rugunda, among others, attended the dinner.