Sheikh Siliman Kasule Ndirangwa, the former Supreme Mufti of the Kibuli-based Muslim faction, has died. He was 62.
His death was confirmed by family members on Friday evening at Mengo Hospital in Kampala, where he had been admitted following a long illness. He passed at around 7:30 p.m., ending hours of uncertainty fueled by premature reports that had circulated earlier on social media.
A formal statement from the family followed shortly after. News of his passing prompted an outpouring of grief across the country—tributes came in from religious leaders, political figures, and ordinary Ugandans who knew him or had followed his work.
“Sheikh Ndirangwa was a man of dignity and integrity,” one mourner wrote online. “He led with purpose and humility.”
Born on October 9, 1962, in Kirayangoma village in what is now Lwengo District, Ndirangwa’s life was steeped in Islamic teaching from an early age. He was the son of Hajji Muhammad Kasule and Hajjat Ajiri Nakawungu.
He began his education at Madarasat Noor in his hometown, later joining Sseke Primary School near Kinoni township. In 1974, he was admitted to Bilal Islamic Institute, where he completed his O-levels and obtained an Idaad certificate—paving the way for his studies at Dar-al-Hadith Makkiyah in Mecca.
He earned a degree in Da‘awah, or Islamic propagation, from the Islamic University of Madinah in 1989.
After returning to Uganda, he became a respected figure in Islamic leadership. In 1992, he was appointed Imam of Kibuli Mosque—one of the country’s most significant Muslim institutions. His Friday sermons drew large crowds. His voice carried weight not just in spiritual matters but also in social and political conversations.
By 2000, he had become the Kampala District Kadhi, representing the Kibuli faction in the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. But it was a position marked by tensions. He would later break with the Old Kampala-based leadership over what were described as ideological and administrative differences.
When Supreme Mufti Sheikh Zubair Kayongo died in 2015, Ndirangwa was named his successor, taking over as the Supreme Mufti for the Kibuli-based faction. He used the role to promote religious education, Islamic finance, and moral renewal. He also spoke out forcefully against corruption and sectarianism.
In 2021, he made headlines with a sudden and very public resignation. During a nationally televised address, he stepped down, citing internal wrangles within the leadership.
“I have resigned as the Supreme Mufti of Uganda,” he said. “I have taken the decision for the good of Islam.”
He was succeeded later that year by Sheikh Muhammad Galabuzi.
Even after his resignation, Ndirangwa stayed involved in religious work, though mostly behind the scenes. He chaired the Association of Imams in the central region and mentored younger religious leaders. Those close to him say he never stopped working to uplift the community.
In recent weeks, his health had taken a turn. Family members said he had been in and out of Mengo Hospital for about a month.
His death sparked an emotional reaction online.
“Sheikh Ndirangwa was a unifier,” one commenter posted. “He taught us not just how to pray, but how to live.”
He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
