Armed with pangas, hammers, and sticks, a group of unidentified individuals stormed the Namugongo Masjid Noor Shuhad Mosque in Wakiso District on Monday night in a violent attempt to demolish the mosque’s structures just hours before the annual Muslim Martyrs Day commemoration.
The attack forced organisers to urgently relocate the high-profile event to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council headquarters in Old Kampala.
The Namugongo mosque, which also houses Atiq Islamic Primary School, had been designated as this year’s official site for honouring Uganda’s Muslim martyrs. President Yoweri Museveni was expected to attend the event.
Witnesses say the assailants entered the mosque premises during evening prayers, pretending to be visitors.
Once inside, they ordered mosque leaders, school teachers, and other occupants to vacate, claiming they were acting on behalf of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
Michael Ssendawula, the Namugongo area chairperson, described the incident as highly tense and dangerous.
He said the attackers attempted to seize control of the site and were only stopped after police from Kira Division, the army, and local leaders intervened.
“The situation remains tense, with the group still determined to demolish the entire structure and all properties within,” Ssendawula said.
“I had to call in the Kira Division Police to intervene, as the officers at the Namugongo Police Post were overwhelmed. Without their assistance, the situation could have turned violent.”
Ssendawula added that the Namugongo Muslim community is determined to defend the site and continue with the commemoration.
However, he said another group claiming to be from Old Kampala has insisted that pilgrimage should be limited to Mecca and not Namugongo.
According to other witnesses, the attackers arrived while evening prayers were underway and began threatening worshippers and school staff.
One mosque administrator, who asked not to be named, said the group initially posed as peaceful visitors before revealing their weapons and intentions.
Mustaf Ssetuba, a teacher at Atiq Islamic Primary School, blamed the attempted demolition on alleged corruption within the top leadership of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
He claimed that the council has been receiving government funds to renovate the mosque and school, but the money has been embezzled.
“Now they are trying to cover up their corruption by demolishing the site before the President’s visit,” Ssetuba said. “But we will not let them get away with it. This is not just about pilgrimage.”
Repeated attempts to reach UMSC for an official comment went unanswered. However, a senior UMSC official who spoke anonymously said he only saw the attackers on the news and that investigations were underway.
He blamed the chaos on squatters occupying mosque land who were allegedly opposing a planned redevelopment project.
“The site was gazetted as a national monument, and nobody will stop the planned redevelopment,” the official said.
Namugongo Masjid Noor Shuhad Mosque was originally set to host the 2025 Muslim Martyrs Day commemoration.
However, following the attack, local leaders and police confirmed that the event has now been officially moved to Old Kampala until the current dispute is resolved.
The incident has raised serious concerns about internal divisions within Uganda’s Muslim leadership and the safety of religious heritage sites in the country.
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