reports Leo Odera Omolo
ANGRY Muslims yesterday besieged Nakasero Mosque, confining its leader, Sheik Sulaiman Kakeeto, accusing him of attempting to demolish the mosque on Saturday night, the government owned NEWVISION reported on its online service this morning.
,
Hundreds converged at Snay Bin Amir Street at dawn after reports that Kakeeto had deployed workmen to pull down the dilapidated structure.
Wielding sticks, they surrounded the 70-year-old structure and warned of trouble if Kakeeto and his team continued with their plan.
Muslims with huge sticks standing near a Police patrol vehicle at Nakasero Mosque
On April 8, the Uganda Muslim Suuni Association and the Uganda Muslim Tabliq Community signed an agreement allowing businessman Mutaasa Kafeero to redevelop the place.
Under the about sh5b project, Kafeero is to build a multi-storied commercial building on Plot 4 Snay Bin Amin Street, and plots 17A, 17B and 17C on Entebbe Road, where the mosque is located.
The structure will have four floors, the top floor being the mosque and the third floor to act as offices for the mosque and lock-ups.
Mutaasa, who is supposed to occupy the rest of the building, will be in charge of the structure for 75 years, according to the agreement.
Last evening, Kakeeto vowed to go ahead with their arrangement.
Huge crowds of Muslims raided the mosque, where they vowed to block anybody from pulling down the mosque.
Raising their fists in the air, they chanted “Allah Akbar” (God is great).
As tempers flared, Makindye West MP Hussein Kyanjo, Sheik Najib Musisi of the once-contested mosque on William Street in Kampala, and the Police attempted to calm the situation.
Calling for a “logical approach”, Kyanjo said: “We should put our differences aside as we try to solve this problem. We should avoid chaos.”
The situation was contained after a meeting between the Muslim leaders, Kampala South Police boss Moses Kafeero and Abdulhakim Ssekimpi.
During the brief meeting, it was agreed that the two parties, the one for and that against the redevelopment, meet on Thursday to “reach an amicable solution”.
Yesterday, Mutaasa told New Vision that he was committed to building a place of worship that conforms to Islam once the differences are resolved.
Ends