Anytime from now, people should not be shocked if Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga is forced to resign or faces moves to impeach him from his position as Amir Ummah of Uganda’s Muslim Tabligh Community (Jamuiyyat Da-awah Tabligh Assalafiyya — JDTS).
This move is being plotted by a faction that is uncomfortable with his close working ties with the Government.
They allege that:
1)Kamoga’s silence
Ever since Kamoga was cleared of charges relating to terrorism and the murder of Muslim clerics, he has become a “dumb mute” on matters affecting the Muslim community and issues of national importance, including corruption and other concerns.
For example, when President Museveni accorded Muslims a small share of appointments in Cabinet, many Muslim clerics publicly expressed their dissatisfaction. To their surprise, Kamoga buried his head in the sand, reportedly remarking: “Omukulu anandaba atya?”
They also attribute Kamoga’s “pregnant silence” to the fact that dozens of young sheikhs and Muslims are still rotting in jail on high-profile charges, with some allegedly not being taken to court for trial.
His critics attribute what they describe as Kamoga’s “spineless” character to his alleged monthly financial support from State House.
One critic, in tears, termed this “broad daylight betrayal” and wondered why Kamoga would devalue the Islamic faith for State House money.
2) Kamoga sold them to Mubaje
In 2021, Kamoga reunited with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), which faction members say he did without consulting them.
History, the great judge, has it that friction between the Tablighs and UMSC escalated in the 1980s, with younger Tablighs increasingly challenging what they viewed as an ageing and ineffective UMSC leadership.
In February and March 1991, Tabligh leaders, including Kamoga and Jamil Mukulu, led attacks on the UMSC headquarters at Old Kampala. The confrontation turned violent, causing deaths and hundreds of arrests. Tablighs subsequently broke away and established strongholds at Nakasero and William Street.
Tensions over leadership, property and security arrests continued up to the emergence of the ADF in 1995.
So, when Kamoga developed closer ties with UMSC, many Tablighs remained suspicious because they feared losing their independent identity, religious creed (Aqeedah) and institutional control.
Hardline Tablighs therefore continue to favour autonomous control of their mosques and institutions, citing longstanding concerns over UMSC’s administration, transparency and accountability.
Against this backdrop, the faction has vowed to force Kamoga out of office if he refuses to resign peacefully.
KAMOGA CONFESSES ‘SLEEPING IN BED’ WITH GOVERNMENT
The faction then began putting its ouster plot against Kamoga into motion.
At the three-day Sunnah Darus Gaggadde 2026 gathering in Kasangati, Wakiso District, the faction put Kamoga on the spot, demanding that he explain his close relationship with the Government.
Kamoga did not deny his close relationship with the Government, stating: “I speak directly to the President.” He also requested that his collaboration with the State not be mistaken for being a spy.
He, however, insisted that the engagements are always intended to benefit Muslims by creating an avenue through which their grievances can be presented directly to the authorities.
This explanation generated unease among some members, who questioned whether the Amir Ummah can continue leading the community while maintaining such close contact with the State.
Kamoga further fell into the trap of his enemies when he urged Muslim clerics to avoid using mosques and public platforms to attack the Government, arguing that grievances could instead be presented through the channels he has established.
