By: AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA
Source: www.monitor.co.ug
The dream to travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage may not come to pass for some Muslims this year.
This is if the number of potential pilgrims exceeds 900, which the Saudi Arabian authorities said was the maximum number for Uganda.
According to Sheikh Hassan Kirya, the chairperson of the Uganda Bureau of Hajj Affairs (UBHA), the decision to restrict the number was reached last week during a meeting in Kampala with officials from Saudi Arabia’s Hajj ministry.
“This is a good step as we wait for the official lifting of visa restrictions and we hope that nothing will stand in our way this year,” Sheikh Kirya said in an interview yesterday.
The UBHA is the local agency that secures visas for Ugandan pilgrims. Sheikh Kirya, however, expressed concern that the slots for Ugandans were few yet many Muslims were planning to travel to Mecca this year because they missed the previous year.
“Since we did not go last year, the number of people on the waiting list is swelling and we pray that they consider raising our Hajj quota for this year,” he said.
Each year, every country gets a Hajj quota depending on its Muslim population. Countries such as Indonesia and Nigeria which have bigger Muslim populations usually enjoy the lion’s share.
The Saudi Arabia authorities imposed a Hajj quota recently to avoid overcrowding, which causes human stampedes in the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina during the Hajj rituals.
Last year, all 900 Ugandan pilgrims who had registered to participate in the annual Hajj rituals were denied entry visas into Saudi Arabia following an outbreak of Ebola and Marburg.
The country suffered Ebola in Kibaale District in July, Marburg in Kabale and Ibanda districts in October and Ebola in Luweero District in November.
However, the World Health Organisation in January declared Uganda free of the diseases but Saudi Arabia is still reluctant to lift the entry visa restrictions imposed seven months ago.
Sheikh Kirya said unlike last year where pilgrims paid about Shs 9m as travel fares, this year each pilgrim will part with Shs 10.5m.
The fares include a return ticket, accommodation, medication, meals, Saudi tax and other expenses.