After performing a wedding ceremony in Islamic culture (Nikah), Sheikh Mohammed Mutumba, the Imam of Kyampisi Masjid Noor mosque in Kayunga District, has been suspended from his clerical work for unknowingly marrying a fellow man who was disguised as a woman. The regional Kadhi, Sheikh Abdul Noor Kakande, confirmed that Sheikh Mutumba, 27, was under investigation concerning the “unfortunate” incident.
Sheikh Isa Busuulwa, the head Imam of Masjid Noor of Kyampisi, explained that the decision to suspend Sheikh Mutumba was made to uphold the integrity of their faith. Despite attending Sheikh Mutumba’s wedding reception at his grandmother’s home in Kyampisi Trading Centre, the mosque leadership was not involved in the wedding preparations.
A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Sheikh Mutumba had unintentionally wedded someone disguised as a woman named Swabullah Nabukeera, who turned out to be a man named Richard Tumushabe. The truth came to light after ‘Nabukeera’ was arrested by the police on theft allegations and during a body search by a female police officer, it was discovered that the suspect was in fact a man.
Mr. Amisi Kibunga, the Kyampisi mosque bilal, mentioned that he had seen Sheikh Mutumba’s ‘wife’ at Juma prayers on two occasions and found it challenging to identify the true gender of the individual. He added that the ‘bridegroom’ had complained about the ‘bride’ refusing to undress while they slept, which raised suspicions.
The chairperson of Namagabi Muslim County, Sheikh Mohammed Ssemambo, expressed his astonishment at the incident, stating that as a Muslim leader, Sheikh Mutumba should have followed the Quran’s guidelines when seeking a spouse.
Neighbors of Sheikh Mutumba reported that they hadn’t seen him for four days, indicating that he had been taken by a relative for counseling due to the distress caused by the incident. According to sources, the ‘bride’ had been handling household chores and had the demeanor of a woman. They mentioned that the ‘bride’ primarily wore gomesi or hijab and spoke with a soft voice, making it difficult to discern the truth.