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Old Kampala– The Shuura Council of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), sitting at the Old Kampala headquarters under the chairmanship of the Deputy Chairman, Sheikh Luutu Sulaiman Wandera, has adopted the Draft Rules of Procedure to guide its operations in accordance with the UMSC Constitution.
The draft, made pursuant to Article 28 (14) of the amended UMSC Constitution, sets out a structured framework for the conduct of the Shuura Council’s business, including its authority, membership, decision-making, and confidentiality requirements.
According to the document, the Shuura Council—composed of 21 members—will conduct its affairs guided by the Holy Qur’an, the authentic Hadith, and practices consistent with Shariah, provided they are duly agreed upon by members during meetings.
“All meetings of the Shuura Council shall be held in camera, and their proceedings shall remain strictly confidential. Any disclosure shall only be made with the unanimous consent of members,” the draft states.
The Council further resolved that all meetings shall be held at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala, unless otherwise approved by all members and the UMSC management. It emphasized the need for a three-quarters quorum for any sitting to proceed, and that decisions should, as much as possible, be reached unanimously. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson shall cast the deciding vote.
Under the new rules, the Secretary to the Shuura Council shall be a retired senior staff member of the UMSC, responsible for preparing agendas, taking minutes, maintaining records, and communicating decisions to relevant parties. The minutes and other records will be securely kept in the Office of the Secretary General, accessible only upon unanimous authorization of the Council.
On membership, the draft stipulates that the Council’s composition and appointments will follow Article 28 (7) of the UMSC Constitution. It also provides for the removal of any member due to death, permanent incapacity, criminal conviction, or impeachment for gross misconduct, incompetence, or constitutional violations.
The document also clarifies that the operational costs of the Shuura Council shall be met by the UMSC in line with Article 28 (12) of the Constitution.
Amendments to these rules will require the support of at least three-quarters of the sitting members, provided that no amendment contravenes the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or the UMSC Constitution.
The meeting was attended by His Eminence, the Mufti of Uganda Dr. Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, Hon. Hadji Abbas Muluubya Ssekyanzi, the UMSC Secretary General and his Deputy in charge of Finance & Administration Counsel Haji Muhammad Ali Aluma, among other senior officials of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
In that line, other sectoral committees including the Appointments & Disciplinary committee, chaired by Hon.Sewante Khalifan, Finance and Planning Committee chaired by Hon. Hassan Said on behalf of Hon. Dr. Abdu-Wahid Ijosiga, the Legal and Sharia Committee chaired by Hon. Counsel Ashiraf Galiwango, and the Awqaaf, Da’wa and Religious Affairs Committee, respectively held similar meetings where several resolutions and recommendations were adopted. These findings will be presented to the General Assembly, the topmost council, for approval in the near future before the end of the year.
