By Sadique Bamwita
ENTEBBE
The Director Airports and Aviation security at Entebbe International Airport, Eng. Al-Hajj Ayub Sooma has been cited as the main funder of the Sheikh Basir Matovu Muslim faction that was October 4, 2024, forcefully evicted at Entebbe Masjid Taqwa by a faction led by the District Khadi Sheikh Farouq Sendijja.
The Muslim faction currently managing Masjid Taqwa revealed that it was discovered that Eng. Ayub Sooma is one of the registered proprietors of Entebbe Masjid Taqwa Limited Company yet the property belongs to Uganda Muslim supreme council.
They also accuse Eng. Sooma and his cohorts including Hajji Twaha Sempebwa and Sheikh Umar Basir Matovu of failing to account for colossal sums of money collected from tenants operating on the mosque’s huge chunk of land in Entebbe town.
They further accuse Eng. Ayub Sooma led Muslim faction for defying directives from Uganda Muslim Supreme Council- the top Muslim body charged with managing Muslim affairs and properties.
“Can you imagine he has a well paying job where he is paid more than Shs15M every month but to our surprise he is also interested in Masjid Taqwa Property? At his level as the director for airports he is supposed to sit down the two warring Muslim factions and reconcile the conflicting parties but instead he is fueling the altercation because he has vested interest in Masjid Taqwa. With all the wealth he has, he is not ashamed of being a registered proprietor of Masjid Taqwa property yet he knows very well that the property belongs to Uganda Muslim supreme council,” an angry concerned Muslim said.
When contacted on phone for a comment , 10th October, 2024 Eng. Al-Hajj Ayub Sooma downplayed all the allegations saying he is not among the registered proprietors of Masjid Taqwa Limited Company and that he is not behind the ongoing conflicts at the mosque.
“As a journalist carrying out your research, you will discover that I am not a registered member or an affiliate of Masjid Taqwa Limited Company. Secondly, I’m not behind any of the ongoing conflicts at Masjid Taqwa because what I know the mosque is for prayers and not a battle ground for conflicts. So, whatever they allege are rumors or baseless allegations that should be disregarded, “said Eng. Ayub Sooma.
Al-Hajj Ayub Sooma further vowed to take legal action against the Muslim faction that claims he is one of the registered proprietors of Masjid Taqwa in addition to explaining his role in the ongoing conflicts at the mosque.
