Muslims pray at home as factional friction causes closure of Lira Mosque

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of the Lango Muslim Community -LMC faction who pray from Madina Faizan Mosque have resorted to praying from their homes after security forces took over the Mosque following last week’s clash.

On the morning of Thursday 27th, the Muslim faction based at Madina Faizan Mosque located at Lira Primary School who recently defected to the Kibuli-led administration and those from Lira Main Mosque who subscribe to Uganda Muslim Supreme Council -UMSC Old Kampala clashed at Faizan Mosque when the later went to install a new imam. Security had to heavily deploy to quell the situation, eventually closing down the mosque.

Four days later, the Mosque is still being heavily guarded by both police and military personnel who are not allowing anyone access, be it for prayers or any other reason. As a result, Muslims who usually pray from there have been asked to find alternative places of worship.

Some are now praying from Barapwo Mosque which is about 7kilometres away, whereas those who cannot make it there are praying from their homes. For example, one Ibrahim Ekoyu has organized Pigeon Investments, his home where a group of Muslims are praying from.

In a telephone interview, Rashid Acup, the LMC spokesperson who argues that closing the mosque is denying them freedoms of worship and association, says their members have been asked to form groups and pray from their homes for the sake of peace.

Acup also accused security of bias and intimidation saying one of their innocent members was arrested and yet they were being attacked by another group.

He however, called on their members to remain calm despite provocation saying legal action will be taken soon.

However, Lawrence Egole, the Lira Resident City Commissioner explains security has no interest in Muslim leadership but are only concerned with issues “which propagate insecurity”, citing past experiences of violence among the Muslim factions in Lango.

“You know for some time there has been brewing tension between some Muslim factions in Lango and we have been engaging them,” he added.

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