The Minister of Internal Affairs Gen Kahinda Otafiire has condemned people who label and call Muslims terrorists because of their religion.
Speaking during Eid al-Adha prayers at Nakivubo Blue primary school playground in Kampala, Gen Otafiire affirmed to the gathering that it’s wrong to label an innocent person a terrorist because of his/her religion.
He added that every religion is capable of harbouring terrorists and criminals, therefore, government’s role is to arrest criminals regardless of their religious beliefs.
“I have never arrested any Muslims, Christians or Catholics. No, my role is to arrest criminals regardless of their religious beliefs because if I were to arrest Muslims, I would start with me myself. Whoever arrests and tortures innocent people because they are Muslims is a fool and stupid. Forces must arrest criminals only, don’t arrest Muslims, Christians or Catholics but arrest criminals,” he said.
The Minister added that in Uganda’s history, it’s people with Christian names that have murdered thousands of innocent people.
“To those who say Muslims are terrorists, was Kony a Muslim? Is there any person in Uganda who has killed people like Kony? Was Lakwena a Muslim? Lakwena was a Catholic, even Kony. So we should stop mixing things because Islam is not a terrorist hub.”
Gen Otafiire’s statement comes a few weeks after Uganda Police Force punished their errant officers who brutally raided a rehabilitation centre in Kawempe hosted at the residence of Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga.
In a video that circulated on social media, police officers were seen kicking and slapping youths who were found at Sheikh Kamoga’s home in Tula, Kawempe Division, Kampala.
The police claimed that Kamoga was training the youth in Sharia law at Tula Rehabilitation Centre. Uganda Muslim Lawyer’s Association (UMLAS) condemned the brutal acts and also threatened to petition the Uganda Human Right Commission over the matter.
However, the police spokesperson, Fred Enanga assured the country that 13 of their officers who carried out this operation were suspended and are facing the Police Professional Standards Unit over the brutal acts.
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