President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged UGX 30 billion to help mosque Imams and Muslim women leaders (Amirats) start and grow Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs).
The announcement was made on August 22, 2025, by Moses Byaruhanga, the Presidential Advisor on Poverty Alleviation, during a special ceremony at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) Headquarters in Old Kampala.
Byaruhanga explained that every district will receive UGX 100 million in the next financial year. The funds will be interest-free and will enable Imams and Amirats to improve household incomes and support community projects.
“The President knows the sacrifice Imams and Amirats make. Many serve without pay. His vision is to empower them through SACCOs so they can transform their communities,” Byaruhanga said.
The ceremony also doubled as a send-off for 21 Ugandan pilgrims traveling to Mecca for Umrah, fully sponsored by the President. The group had earlier missed Hajj due to visa delays, but Museveni has now pledged to fund both Umrah this year and Hajj in 2026.
UMSC Secretary General Hajji Abbas Muluubya Ssekyanzi thanked the President, describing the gesture as “historic and exceptional.” He noted that the support not only helps fulfill a key pillar of Islam but also shows great respect for the Muslim faith.
The pilgrims are expected to fly out on Monday, August 25, 2025, according to Sheikh Ali Juma Shiwuyu, Head of the Hajj Department at UMSC.
Among the dignitaries present were senior State House officials, including Hajjat Mariam Namayanja Ssebagala.
This package both spiritual and economic is expected to make a lasting impact on Uganda’s Muslim community by empowering leaders and promoting inclusion in national development.
