MUSLIM HATE IN UGANDA
Muslims Threaten War Over
Domestic Bill
The Monitor (Kampala)
NEWS
May 6, 2005
Posted to the web May 5, 2005
By Mercy Nalugo
Kampala
Muslims have threatened a jihad (religious war) if Parliament passes the Domestic Relations Bill (DRB) in its current form.
The Muslims are opposed to a clause in the Bill, which requires a man to seek consent of his first wife before marrying a second one.
The Vice Chairman of the Uganda Muslim Youth Assembly (UMWV), Imam Idd Kasozi, flanked by the UMWV Director, Hajji Abbas Kiyimba, said nobody should provoke Muslims because they would fight back (Muslims will fight against being decent human beings).
"We are issuing a warning that if some members keep on pushing Muslims to the wall, they would rebound and we do not want this to happen. But we have to fight for the Muslim principles," Kiyimba said.
He was presenting a paper on the Domestic Relations Bill in a one-day workshop organised by the Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/Aids (Uganet) and the Uganda Muslim Women Vision at Tal Cottages in Lubaga, Kampala. "Our answer to the DRB is that it should be amended to accommodate our concerns. We are prepared to fight this battle till the end," Kiyimba said. Kasozi said the fight against the DRB could take the highest level, which is a jihad.
The remarks come a day after the pro-DRB advocates marched through the city streets demonstrating against President Yoweri Museveni's recent directive that the debate on the Bill be suspended until all stakeholders are consulted.
In March Muslims demonstrated against the DRB especially the clause that requires a man to obtain consent from his first wife before marrying another and another provision for scrapping of matrimonial gifts (bride-price).
Former Attorney General Mr Abu Mayanja concurred with Kiyimba. "Let Muslims be governed by Muslim (oppressive) laws, Christians by their laws and other religious beliefs," Mayanja said.
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