Awqaf Department Receives Land Title of UMSC Land in Bushenyi
The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council’s (UMSC) Awqaf-Endowment department, led by Hon. Ondongkara M. Nasser, has taken custody of an original title of a piece of land measuring 10 acres in Bushenyi district belonging to UMSC. This event occurred during a brief ceremony held in the office of Hon. Counsel Haj Muhammad Ali Aluma, the UMSC Secretary General.
The land title was handed over by Mustafa Kariyo Bamwine, a retired Senior Bushenyi District Finance Officer and devout Muslim, who had safely kept the document for several years. Hon. Aluma, accompanied by other UMSC Council Officials including Sheikh Juma Bakhit Cucu, the Education Secretary, Mr. Sinan Abdu Nsenye, the Secretary for Finance and Planning, and Sheikh Abdul-Karim Abdallah Katamba, the Director of Halal and acting Regional Assistant to the Mufti in charge of Ankole-Kigezi Muslim Region, praised Mr. Kariyo for demonstrating a high level of trustworthiness and strong commitment to the Islamic faith.
Mr. Kariyo’s positive response to the circular issued by the Awqaf department, which directed Muslim leaders in the lower UMSC structures to collaborate with the general public to identify UMSC properties categorized as lost assets across the nation, was particularly commended. This record of recovered assets is being organized by the Awqaf department and will be presented to the newly established UMSC Property and Endowment Trust, which is set to begin its duties soon.
In his remarks, Hon. Aluma encouraged Muslims who possess similar physical assets of UMSC or related documents to declare them to the relevant Council organ for safekeeping. He emphasized the significance of such information in formulating development plans and subsequently realizing the proposed projects.
On his part, Mr. Kariyo provided insight into his role as the chairman of the Rwentuha Muslim Primary School Management Committee, which was built on the land in question. He also became the chairman of the Rwentuha Mosque committee.
He explained that developments for both the school and mosque were constructed on the acquired land, which was initially on a lease that was nearing expiration. To secure the land’s continued ownership, he successfully applied for an extension, converting it to perpetual ownership under the Freehold land tenure.