By Waswa Tenywa
Thousands of Muslim women from different parts of Uganda on Sunday converged at Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) Headquarters old Kampala to celebrate the Second annual Muslim Women’s day.
The day was officially launched last year by His Eminence the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, who presided over the first Muslim Women’s day celebrations.
The theme of this year’s Muslim Women’s Day was “Islam is for Peace and Prosperity”, and the guest of honour was Princess Dr. Gahdah Ahmad Latif Basha from Makkah.
In her speech to the thousands of women who were listening to her, Dr. Gahdah commended UMSC for recognizing Muslim women by creating a full department for them.
She further hailed Skht. Radhiyyah Namakula, the UMSC Secretary for Women and Youth Affairs, and her team for mobilising Muslim women from all over Uganda to celebrate their special day.
She also thanked Muslim men for supporting their Muslim sisters in this cause.
“I am from a royal family in Makkah but that is not very important. What is important is that we are brothers and sisters in Islam” she said noting that things like skin colour, sex and tribe are secondary.
“Behind every successful leader, there is a great mother” Dr. Gahdah said noting that the well being of children depend on the well being of mothers.
She urged all Muslim women to come up with a joint document outlining all their issues so that she can see how to support them.
She was accompanied by her husband Dr. Abdul Basit Abdullah Abdulatif and Shk. Asadu Lutale Semambo who is based in Saudi Arabia.
The event was honoured by the presence of the Deputy Mufti of Uganda Shk. Abdallah Semambo. In his remarks, Shk. Semambo said UMSC recognises the value of empowering Muslim women, and promised that UMSC Management will keep supporting them in different ways.
“A woman is like a school, when you invest in it, you get a strong foundation for the future” he said.
He also called upon women to organise themselves in groups and apply for government funds for women at their respective government districts.
In her remarks, Sheikhat Radhiyyah thanked the current UMSC administration under the leadership of His Eminence the Mufti of Uganda Shk. Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje for establishing a Muslim Women’s desk which was later elevated to a full UMSC department.
In line with the theme of the day, she said Muslim families must ensure the prosperity of women in order to achieve peace in homes.
She urged all Muslim Women to unite and lobby for support with a strong voice.
The UMSC Secretary General Hon. Haji Ramadhan Mugalu and several senior UMSC management officials were present.
Several prominent Muslim Women professionals in health, education, business, politics and Daawa also took part in the celebrations. These included Hajat “MADKAS” and Hajat Makumbi among others.
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