I Won’t Be Cowed, Defiant Latif Ssebagala Blasts UMSC, Police

By Francis Otucu

Parliamentary Imam Latif Ssebagala has vowed to re-organize the National Jumaa prayers that were blocked by police yesterday.

Speaking exclusively to The Second Opinion Ssebagala said his team that allegedly includes Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko, had gone back to the ‘drawing board’ to ensure the prayers are held.

“The gist of the national prayer was to show our dissatisfaction on how Muslims are treated in this country. If that rubbed them the wrong way then that is part of the injustices we are fighting and we won’t be bogged down,” Ssebagala, who also doubles as Kawempe North Member of Parliament in the 10^th parliament, said.

“We have gone back to the drawing board. We will get back to you at an appropriate time to communicate the rescheduled date,” he confirmed.

However, Ssebagala said that blocking an event in which he is involved did not come as a surprise.

“Of course yesterday’s incident wasn’t a surprise. We know how we are treated as Muslims. Kololo Independence grounds is a national ceremonious grounds and everybody is allowed to use it but when it comes to Muslims, they bring all sorts of grounds. We aren’t convinced with the reasons they gave but to us it was another sign that these are the injustices we are fighting. Did they have to quote POMA for a national prayer?” he wondered.

Asked why they wrote to the Ministry of Defense instead of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) and the issues surrounding ‘Concerned Members of the Muslim Community in Uganda’, Ssebagala said: “I wouldn’t want to go into that discussion. Do born-agains seek permission from Namirembe when they hold prayers at Kololo Independence Grounds? Does UMSC have to clear all events of Muslims?”

Police on Friday morning blocked ‘national prayers’ earlier convened by Ssebagala and his Kampala Central colleague Mohammad Nsereko citing failure by the organizers to harmonize their positon with UMSC.

Sought for comment, the UMSC Spokesperson Nsereko Mutumba yesterday told us that the UMSC was not in any way linked to Ssebagala’s event and that the Council had no plans of holding another national prayer since it already held one in 2018.