Mityana District Muslim leaders have officially moved their headquarters to new offices located at Buye Mosque in Busimbi Division. The inauguration ceremony, held on Sunday, August 31, was graced by the Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, who praised the Muslim community for their dedication to advancing the activities of Allah. She encouraged them to maintain their spirit of progress and engage in government development programs to benefit from the growing money economy.
Previously, the Muslim offices were located in Mityana town near Centenary Bank. During the ceremony, Mityana District Khadi, Sheikh Bashir Luwenda Muhammad, briefed the minister on ongoing projects that align with the government’s mandate of transforming communities. He highlighted a SACCO established for all imams in the district, aimed at financially empowering them. “We started this SACCO to empower our imams financially. They save and borrow money to invest in their businesses,” Sheikh Luwenda explained, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance beyond donations from believers.
Minister Nabakooba supported the initiative with a contribution of Shs 5 million and promised to advocate for further government support, noting that President Museveni had pledged assistance for all imams’ SACCOs. Sheikh Luwenda also reminded the minister of the President’s earlier promise to provide him with a vehicle, highlighting that while other district Khadis have vehicles, he is still waiting for his. The minister assured him that she would engage the President to fulfill this promise.
Mityana Muslim leaders oversee developments across four counties: Naama, Busunju, Bulera, and Busujju. The district hosts schools, one level III health center, 203 mosques, and several non-governmental organizations. During the event, other critical issues were discussed, including the establishment of a proposed skilling hub, land management, and the need to equip offices with computers for efficiency. On land matters, Minister Nabakooba urged the leaders to renew trusteeships to ease the processing of titles and revealed that government-procured tools for boundary opening have been made available in Mityana and Nakaseke districts.
The opening of the new headquarters at Buye Mosque marks a significant milestone for the Muslim community in Mityana. It not only strengthens their organizational capacity but also aligns with broader efforts to empower religious leaders economically, streamline administrative operations, and ensure that community development initiatives continue to thrive.
