By Mulengera Reporters
The air in the Main Conference Hall at the Office of the President in kampala, was thick with anticipation on Wednesday, as more than 800 Muslims from across Uganda gathered to review the success of the peace-building programme that was launched three years ago under the campaign “Islam is not terrorism.”
What began as a reflective dialogue about freedom of worship, countering extremism, and the fragile bridge between Muslims and state security organs, soon transformed into an emphatic political moment, a rallying cry in support of Uganda’s darling President Yoweri Museveni ahead of the 2026 elections.
The conference was organized by Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Asuman Kisuule, Museveni’s long-serving ally, diplomat, and now Senior Presidential Advisor on Middle East Affairs. Kisuule, who spent 27 years representing Uganda in the Gulf states, is regarded not just as an advisor but as one of Museveni’s most trusted multipurpose groomed deplomat, a man groomed from his youthful days under the president’s guidance.
After finishing his studies, Kisuule was picked by Museveni himself and mentored into a career that straddled diplomacy, religion, and statecraft. That apprenticeship, as Kisuule recounted in his speech, was the foundation of his lifelong loyalty and service to both Uganda and the head of state who handpicked him.
The heart of Wednesday’s gathering was the review of the “Islam is not terrorism” campaign launched in 2022 in Kasese, at a time when public suspicion and indiscriminate arrests had cast an unflattering shadow over Uganda’s Muslim community. Many Muslims were in the past, detained simply because of their faith, their religion conflated with terrorism in the eyes of security agencies and the wider public.
Museveni intervened decisively, ordering the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find a way of stopping the injustice. The assignment landed on Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafire’s desk, and he in turn tapped Dr. Kisuule to spearhead the campaign. With his deep grounding in Islamic theology, his PhD in Sharia, and his strong ties to the various factions of the Ummah, Kisuule was uniquely placed to carry the message that Islam is a religion of peace.
Three years later, at the conference at president’s office, Kisuule declared the campaign a resounding success saying “Because of the work we did, supervised by Gen. Otafire and coordinated by Hajj Yunusu Kakande from the Office of the President, no Muslim today is arrested simply because of their religion.”
He emphasized that Otafire, despite his busy schedule, had personally attended campaign activities across Kasese, Jinja, Luwero, and Iganga, showing a level of commitment unusual for a man of his rank, noting that the general had his boots on the ground all through.
Yet beyond recounting the campaign’s milestones, the conference became a podium to remind Muslims of what Museveni had done for them, and to make the case that he remains their best political option in 2026. Kisuule spoke passionately about the president’s consistent defense of Muslim freedoms, recalling how retired officer Gen. David Tinyefunza once attempted to silence worshippers in Kyengera, suggesting their mosque be removed because their morning prayers disturbed him, but Museveni told him to shut up and let people worship.
He then catalogued the president’s material contributions, like his donation of UGX 400 million as Zaka just last year, his annual invitations to Muslims to break the Ramadan fast at State House, and his role in enshrining Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as national public holidays. He reminded the crowd that this year alone, the president sponsored 140 Muslims on fully funded Hajj trips, a demonstration of tangible commitment to the faith.
In education, Kisuule pointed to the Islamic University in Mbale, whose early financial struggles were alleviated by Museveni’s intervention when he provided land on Kampala Road. Kisuule himself, alongside Sheik Ramathan Mubajje, was tasked with mobilizing resources on that land, leading to the construction of King Fahad Plaza, whose proceeds now sustain the university’s operations and expansion.
Perhaps the most symbolic achievement, Kisuule said, was the National Mosque at Old Kampala. Museveni provided the land against objections from the Ministry of Culture, and later tasked Kisuule as ambassador to mobilize funds for its construction. “When I approached the UAE, they said they were not ready to fund the mosque. So, I turned to Libya’s then President Gen.Muammar Gaddafi, who without hesitation instructed his bank to release the funds. That is why today it stands as the Gaddafi Mosque.” [a name it got having been funded by him]. Even when courts recently ordered the mosque sold to settle debts, Museveni intervened personally to pay off the liabilities.
In our further engagement, Kisuule shared a personal story that underlined his unique relationship with Museveni, recalling a meeting in the Middle East where he and other ambassadors had convened with the president. At one point, Kisuule suggested that Museveni visit a certain location, a move that alarmed his fellow diplomats, who feared it was unsafe. But Kisuule told them he was simply directing Museveni to exactly what the president himself had earlier instructed him to pursue in the Gulf. “For you, instructions come through writing,” Kisuule told his fellow envoys, “but for me, I receive them from the president’s own mouth.” In the end, Museveni went, underscoring the extraordinary trust between the two men. The story not only revealed the depth of Kisuule’s service but also highlighted the kind of loyalty that has made him indispensable to the president’s inner circle.
Back at the conference, as he finished listing Museveni’s contributions, Kisuule turned to the crowd with a pointed question: “Is there any other leader who has loved Islam more than Museveni?” And the audience, chorusly shouted: “No.” Kisuule further asked what must be done for Museveni in 2026, and the response from the audinece was uniform, “Vote him again!”
This echoed rhe attendees certainty, rallying behind the president, come 2026.
Maj. Gen. Otafire, as chief guest, struck a measured tone in his own remarks, acknowledging the pain Muslims had endured at the hands of security agencies and urged officers to end the practice of arresting people without evidence, saying the government can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the past, and warning that arbitrary arrests not only violate rights but also undermine trust between the Muslim community and the state.
His words resonated deeply with many in attendance who had lived through the days when Muslims were stereotyped as terrorists and unfairly detained.
What began as a review of a peace-building campaign, by the end, morphed into a political declaration (an unmistakable pledge of support for Museveni in 2026), with the Moslims saying if Museveni has stood for them, they too must stand for him, and their votes in 2026 will speak louder than before.
The gathering underscored not only the success of the “Islam is not terrorism” campaign but also the enduring bond between the Muslim community and the president who, in their eyes, defended their dignity when it was most at risk. For Dr. Kisuule, the conference was another chapter in a long story of loyalty, of a man who has served Museveni faithfully since his youth, and who continues to be his multipurpose instrument in matters of religion, diplomacy, and development.
And for the crowd of over 800 Muslims, the conference was not just about looking back at progress but charting a future, one in which their rallying cry in 2026 is clear, that Museveni remains their best choice. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
