Ruruku Muslim Community Accuses Political Leaders of Neglecting Their School
Rukungiri: The Ruruku Muslim community in Rukungiri Municipality has accused political leaders of neglecting them due to being a religious minority in the area.
This concern arose on March 5, during an interview with our news reporter, where community members highlighted the poor state of their primary school, located at Ruruku Mosque in Karangaro Ward, Western Division, Rukungiri Municipality.
Established 19 years ago by the mosque, the school once offered classes up to Primary Six but now operates only Primary One and Two due to a lack of funding for teachers’ salaries and essential resources. The school is private and nonprofit, relying on community efforts for survival.
Muslims at Ruruku Mosque blame political leaders for ignoring all four fundraising events they have organized to improve the school, while the same leaders actively support Christian churches, particularly Anglican and Catholic institutions.
The secretary to the Imam at Ruruku Mosque and a resident of Kibare Cell, Karangaro Ward Adam Bwisho stated that he was given authority by the mosque to start the school in 2006. After six years, he handed it over to the mosque when it had reached Primary Five level.
The mosque had hoped that the government would take over the school, ensuring its sustainability. They wrote to local leaders, and a team led by the Rukungiri Municipality Inspector of Schools and then LC3 Chairperson, identified only as Mrs. Kyaragire, inspected the school. They were told that the government could only take over from Primary Four to Seven, but no further action was taken.
The school later collapsed but was revived, reaching Primary Six again. In an effort to construct permanent classrooms, the mosque organized fundraisers, inviting local political leaders for support. However, despite multiple invitations, they were repeatedly ignored.
Bwisho revealed that they invited Rukungiri Municipality MP Hon. Dr. Elisa Rutahirwa as the guest of honor four times and also reached out to Woman MP Medius Kaharata, but neither of them attended. Only once did Hon. Kaharata delegate a representative who donated ten bags of cement.
He expressed disappointment that, despite their efforts, the school’s progress has only been possible through the limited resources of the Muslim community, without any meaningful support from leaders. Bwisho pointed out that political leaders continue to make significant donations to Christian churches, providing large amounts of cement, iron sheets, and cash contributions, while the mosque remains ignored.
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County Sheikh Badulu Byabagambi, chairperson of the mosque, lamented that parents now fear enrolling their children in the school due to its poor state. He accused leaders of only engaging with the Muslim community during political campaigns but abandoning them afterward.
Currently, the school has only two classes, with an enrollment of just 60 pupils, a sharp decline from previous years when it reached Primary Six.
The community is now appealing to the government and political leaders to support their efforts in improving the school, ensuring that Muslim children receive quality education just like others.
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