By Ruth Nanyonga
KAMPALA. The Mufti of Uganda, His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, has hosted Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Uganda, Her Excellency Etsegenet Bezabih Yemenu, at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) headquarters in Old Kampala.
The meeting, held at the Mufti’s office on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Uganda and Ethiopia, particularly in cultural and religious affairs.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Robel Admassu Ashagre, the Embassy’s Head of Political Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed Omar Hussein, leader of Ethiopian Muslims living in Uganda and Board Chairman of Markaz Al-Muhajir Foundation (MMF); Sheikh Mohammed Suleyman Abdu-Swamadu, an MMF board member; and Sheikh Xayyar Mohammed Yuyya, the Foundation’s Board General Secretary.
Ambassador Yemenu said strengthening cooperation between Ethiopia and Uganda in various fields, including culture and religious affairs, was part of her diplomatic responsibilities. She emphasised the longstanding historical and cultural ties between the two countries.
“Genetically, we are one people who share the same cultural values and norms, and our cooperation goes back centuries. We still recount the history made when the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie visited Uganda during the reign of Kabaka Edward Mutesa II of Buganda,” she said.
The Ambassador also expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his government for promoting Pan-Africanism through cultural exchanges. She cited a recent interregional cultural festival held in Soroti City, eastern Uganda, which brought together communities from the Horn of Africa and East Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
She further noted that many Ethiopian nationals, including Muslims, were living peacefully in Uganda and considered the country their second home.
Yemenu commended Uganda’s interfaith cooperation, saying the Ethiopian Embassy had also started organising Iftar dinners for Muslim nationals living in Uganda.
She revealed that the Embassy was planning to establish an interfaith committee bringing together leaders of the Ethiopian communities belonging to different religious denominations, including Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, Catholics and Evangelicals.
The Ambassador also introduced Sheikh Mohammed Omar Hussein and the Markaz Al-Muhajir Foundation to the Mufti, requesting his office to familiarise itself with the organisation’s activities and explore possible areas of cooperation and support. She also invited the Mufti to visit their offices in Kampala.
In his response, Sheikh Mubajje welcomed the delegation and recalled his experiences travelling through Addis Ababa Airport during his student days in the 1980s, when he made transit stops on journeys to and from Saudi Arabia, where he pursued his studies.
“I am still acquainted with Ethiopian culture, and it is almost 20 years since I last visited your country at the invitation of the then Mufti of Ethiopia. Your first visit has coincided with my return from Moscow, the Russian capital, where Muftis from across the African continent were invited for an international conference. It was good to meet the incumbent Mufti of Ethiopia there,” he said.
The Mufti described Uganda and Ethiopia as sister countries with longstanding historical and cultural connections. He also highlighted their shared relationship with the River Nile, whose White Nile and Blue Nile tributaries flow through the region, connecting countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.
Sheikh Mubajje welcomed the proposal to establish an interfaith committee for Ethiopian religious communities in Uganda, saying the initiative was consistent with the spirit of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), which has played an important role in promoting peace, understanding and religious harmony.
He noted that the interfaith cooperation initiative had subsequently been extended across the African continent through the establishment of African Religious Leaders for Peace, where he serves as Co-Chair alongside Anglican Archbishop Albert Chama of Zambia.
The Mufti pledged to work closely with the Ethiopian Embassy, the Ethiopian Muslim community and the Markaz Al-Muhajir Foundation in Uganda.
Sheikh Mohammed Omar Hussein also thanked the Mufti for receiving the delegation and honouring their visit.
The meeting was attended by the Second Deputy Mufti, His Eminence Dr Sheikh Hafiz Muhammad Bukenya, and the UMSC Secretary General, Hon. Hadji Abbas Muluubya Ssekyanzi and Counsel Bunyasin Ibrahim, the UMSC Legal Officer.
The two sides exchanged gifts at the end of the meeting. Before departing, Ambassador Yemenu and her delegation toured the National Mosque, including climbing its minaret, from where they enjoyed a panoramic view of Kampala City.