Saudi Arabia cuts number of Uganda pilgrims to Mecca

The Saudi Arabia government has cut the number of Ugandans going for the holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina to 750 slots. Uganda had been given a total of 1,500 pilgrims for which Saudi Arabia would issue visas in 2014, but it failed to fill the slots, leading to a penalty that has seen many miss out this year.

Sheikh Ahmada Lubega, a member on the Uganda Bureau of Hajj Association (UBHA), said as a result, at least more than 250 Ugandans will miss this year’s pilgrimage.
“Saudi authorities had issued only 500 visas for Uganda pilgrims this year,” Hajj Lubega said yesterday in an interview.
“We had to plead with them [Saudi embassy to Uganda] to increase the number to 750 visa slots, after realising that more Ugandans had deposited instalments for their travel,” he said.

In fact, at a colourful event at Wandegeya Mosque last Friday, the nominal Muslim leader, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, flagged off at least 750 Muslims going for pilgrimage.

However, not everyone was able to clear the requirements on time, resulting in 250 missing the pilgrimage.

Hajj Lubega observed that most of those who have missed out either cleared late or topped up their installments very late when the Saudi authorities had closed the online registrations.

Registration process
According to the official Saudi Arabia website, the registration process has since 2014 changed from manual to online registration and that if a country fails to meet the deadline, there is no provisional window for a manual process.

According to Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata, the director general of Muzaata and Mission, the delay in payments had been worsened by the fluctuating dollar rates.

“Our people want to pay in instalments and most of them pay in shillings.

Converting that into dollar is a very big challenge for our people to comprehend,” Sheikh Muzaata noted. “Many of our clients brand us as thieves because they don’t understand what is happening with the dollar that is in a free-fall,” Sheikh Muzaata said yesterday in a telephone interview.

The Monitor

UM– USEKE.RW