President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday hosted the Muslim community for an Iftar dinner at State House Entebbe.
During the dinner, the President congratulated the Muslims for successfully fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
“We are left with only a few days for Ramadan to end. We pray that God keeps us safe until the end,” he said.
President Museveni also urged believers that as they worship God, they should also think about working towards improving their household incomes.
“You the religious leaders, I think you should begin helping your people to develop the thinking of worshipping and working as well,” he said.
President Museveni further lauded the Muslims for finally embracing the Parish Development Model (PDM) initiative.
“I’m glad that you finally accepted my PDM money because some people had misinterpreted that money, saying that it has riba (interest). I’m not profiteering from you, the government of Uganda is our grandparent and this grandparent gives you money every year per parish and this money is yours, it’s not going back to the government so that’s not profiteering,” he said.
“The five percent we are putting on the Shs1m for each year is in order to keep the value for that money so that it is able to maintain the purchasing power of a product.”
Furthermore, the President commended Muslims for listening to the NRM message of unity.
“I want to thank you for listening to our message of unity. You can see how the world is in chaos because of misinterpreting religion. I don’t think God said the Catholics and Protestants should fight Muslims or vice versa. I have never read it anywhere when God is saying that you must have sectarianism,” he noted.
“Those people who do discrimination are really greedy people. The way you have been introducing yourselves, the Sunnis, Shia, Ahmadiyas are all here. I think that’s very good, that’s the spirit of God in my view.”
President Museveni also cautioned against interfering in the freedom of worship.
“Why do you interfere in the freedom of worship?Let them worship as long as they don’t break the law.”
President Museveni also contributed 10 tractors to the 10 Muslim regions in Uganda.
The Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo thanked President Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni for their generosity in extending an invitation to the Muslim community to celebrate the State Iftar dinner annually.
“Your Excellency, Uganda is one of the countries where all religious denominations are respected, honoured, valued and given maximum freedom of worship,” she said.
“In fact, freedom of worship in Uganda is Constitutional and all this ,Your Excellency, is due to your strategic and visionary leadership and the NRM good practice of non-discrimination. We thank you very much Your Excellency for permitting all the people of Uganda to worship where they feel comfortable.”
The Vice President also thanked the Muslim community for supporting President Museveni and the NRM government.
Representing the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramathan Mubajje, the First Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Waiswa Muhammad Ali thanked President Museveni for hosting the Muslim community for an Iftar dinner annually.
“We do not take this for granted,” he said.
Sheikh Waiswa also commended the President for standing with the Muslim community in fostering unity, patriotism, democracy and socio-economic transformation through various government programs.
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