Muslim women urged to focus on empowerment to support their colleagues

Muslim women leaders have been urged to focus on their empowerment if they are to cause positive transformation of their colleagues and electorate at the Muslim grassroots.

The remarks was made by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council(UMSC) national chairperson, Prof. Dr. Muhammadi Lubega Kisambira during Muslim Women regional representative’s meeting held at Old Kampala. Five of the 10 regional women representatives turned up while two sent apologies.

Lubega informed the participants that the amended UMSC constitution provides for the establishment of the national Muslim women council.

“So it is very important to know that you are accountable to the Almighty Allah and to your electorate for the next five years, which means that we have to marshal our efforts to work and leave a legacy that will last after the elapse of our term instead of get involved in unproductive quarrels, personal conflicts, and misunderstandings,” said Lubega.

He thanked Sophia Safina Kenyangi, the National Women Chairperson, for exhibiting vibrancy at the start of her tenure.

Lubega implored the women representatives to rebrand, strategise, network and strive to put in place a policy frame as the main channels of realizing their designated goals.

Ramadhan Mugalu, the UMSC secretary general, explained to the participants how the idea of creating the women, youth, and children department was embraced by the national management committee under the guidance of Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda

“Indeed, the journey was long in convincing our Sheikhs that it was high time to bring women on board and it was eventually adopted. The office kicked off with two successive Office bearers that came after others until they were replaced by Sheikhat Radhiyya Namakula Lukwiya, who has since done a tremendous job among Muslim women,”Mugalu recounted.

Sheikhat Namakula listed some of the achievements so far registered including the annual Muslim Women’s Day marked on the last Friday every march, the establishment of leadership structures at the grassroots, Women’s SACCO, and tailoring centre for girls among others.

She highlighted the prevalent poverty as one of the key challenges that her office is attempting to address.

The women representatives discussed several action points aiming at unity and enhancement of Women potential towards sustainable development among Muslim Women country-wide.