KAMPALA.
Close to 10,000 animals have been prepared for slaughter as Muslim faithful mark Eid-al Adhuha celebrations this Friday .
Eid al -Adhuha is the grand feast Muslims celebrate to mark the end of the year according to the lunar Islamic calendar.
According to Dr Idd Sirajuddin Menya , the chairperson of Social Humanitarian Aid Delivery –Uganda(Shadu) , his organisation alone will slaughter 2500 cows and 5000 sheep .
”During our preparations, we have faced some challenges, including some animals dying due to inadequate care or treatment, high prices of animals and market dues have risen in some areas, such as Bukedea Market,” he said during an interview yesterday
He said the beef will be distributed to the needy people at mosques, orphanage centres , prisons ,hospitals ,police stations and refugee camps in Western Uganda, Teso, Lango and Busoga . “This celebration is not just for Muslims; it’s a time for the entire world to come together.
I encourage Muslims to share their blessings with everyone, regardless of their background or affiliation. Let us prioritize humanity and uphold the values of Obuntu(humanity) – recognizing that our shared humanity transcends our differences,” he said
Mr Issa Kirarira, the Chairperson of Nile Humanitrian Development Agency said over 2000 cows are lined up for slaughter .
“We are expecting to slaughter over 2000 cows, with more donations still coming in.
Our current tally stands at 2000 cows, and we are grateful for the generosity of individuals who want to share with those in need. We expect to serve 62,000 people during Idd festivities ,” he said
Hajjat Shania Kigozi, the Country Director for One Ummah Uganda, said only 50 heads of cattle by her organization .
According to her, the decline in numbers is attributed to hiked prices of animals.
“Our sponsors decided that we slaughter that number [50 cows ] and the bigger number be slaughtered in Tanzania , where the prices of cattle are fairly good ,” Ms Kigozi said.
She revealed that her organisation bought each cow at shs1.7m,up from Shs1m last year while a goat and sheep cost shs260,000 and shs160,000 respectively .
Like it was the case last year ,Humanitarian Efforts And Relief (Hear –Uganda),one of the big organisations that usually donates beef during Idd festivities will not slaughter animals ,according to Sheikh Haidar Kizza, the vice chairperson of Hear-Uganda .
“Our donors told us that their support is still going to Gaza where thousands of people are in dire need of relief aid. We pray that the war in Gaza stops and they resume considering other countries like Uganda ,” he said