MADI-OKOLLO. Sheikh Abdul Wahid Juma Ceaser has been sworn in as the first Khadi of Madi-Okollo Muslim District at a colourful function held at the Rhino Camp Town Council Headquarters on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
The function was presided over by Sheikh Imran Ssali, the UMSC Secretary for Religious Affairs, who represented His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, the Mufti of Uganda. It was witnessed by several dignitaries, including Mr Drabe Ismail Adirisi, the Madi-Okollo District Chairperson; Mr Aluma Alua Godfrey, the Mayor; Mr Eric Angoyu, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner; ASP Karekyezi Daniel, the OC Rhino Camp Police Station; Sheikh Mahdie Muhmood Raihan, the West Nile Regional Assistant to the Mufti; and Sheikh Abu Jafar Shaban Karala, the Khadi of Arua Muslim District, among others.
At exactly 1:00pm, Sheikh Abdul Wahid Juma Ceaser, flanked by his parents and his newly wedded wife, took the oath of office administered by the UMSC Commission team led by Hon. Were Abubakar Wadanghor, the National Chairperson, assisted by Counsel Hadad Salim, the West Nile Regional Commissioner.
Earlier, speeches were delivered by several key personalities, including Sheikh Abu Jafar Shaban Karala, the Khadi of Arua Muslim District. He expressed profound gratitude to the Mufti and the relevant UMSC organs for accepting the request by Muslims in West Nile to create more Muslim districts due to the vastness of the region, which had slowed service delivery to the people. He disclosed that, as the mother district, Arua had followed all the prerequisite procedures required for the creation of the new district.
Turning to the local government officials present, Sheikh Karala implored them to provide all the technical and necessary support to the new Khadi as he commences his official duties. “He might encounter similar serious problems like what we faced when we assumed office a couple of years ago due to harassment from land grabbers who had illegally occupied some UMSC mosque lands even here in Madi-Okollo,” Sheikh Karala remarked.
He also appealed to Mr Drabe Ismail Adirisi, the re-elected Madi-Okollo District Chairperson, to support the new Muslim leadership in registering all Muslim lands, to which the chairperson responded positively.
On his part, Sheikh Mahdie Muhmood Raihan reminisced about the rich history of his grandfather, Raihan, a British-trained soldier who helped settle animosity that existed between the colonial administrators and natives who resisted British colonial rule under the influence of their tribal chief, Ajai.
“It was my grandfather who convinced the white administrators not to kill the tribal chief as they had long planned. Instead, they allowed him to continue self-rule, which later quickened the spread of Islam in the region. It is really amazing that I am returning today to officiate at the installation of a Khadi to continue a similar mission of administering Islamic affairs,” he narrated.
Meanwhile, Mr Drabe Ismail Adirisi, Mr Eric Angoyu , the Assistant Resident District Commissioner, and Mr Aluma Alua Godfrey, the Mayor of Rhino Camp Town, thanked the Mufti for granting Madi-Okollo Muslim District status and pledged close collaboration with the government.
The event was crowned by the Mufti’s written speech, which was read by Sheikh Ssali. In the message, the Mufti implored the Muslim faithful to render all the necessary support to the new Muslim leadership of Madi-Okollo under Sheikh Abdul Wahid Juma Ceaser. He concluded by declaring the installation exercise successful.