General
Mufti Menk urges youth on productivity, social media usage & entrepreneurship
By Ritah Namisango
Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk has urged youth to be productive and hardworking even under great hardships.
“Whatever the country will be, depends on the youth. When you are young, ensure that you are productive. I advise you to encourage each other with love, respect and support in order to develop your country. Pray together, play together and work together,” said Mufti Menk.
He stated: “I am here to tell the youth in Uganda to work and develop their communities. You must develop a positive attitude towards work and your country. I advise you to shun any bad habit so that you become responsible citizens. You must shun laziness, idleness and bad habits such as use of drugs, addiction to alcohol and pornography. You must develop good habits. When you disagree with someone, let it be with respect.”
This was during the Mufti Menk Public Lecture held at the Makerere University Rugby Grounds on March 8, 2024. Running under the theme, ‘Muslim Youth and Work Ethics’, the lecture was hosted by the Office of the Makerere University Imaam. He was officially welcomed by Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in his capacity as the Acting Vice Chancellor, and Dr. Sowed Juma Mayanja, the University Imaam.
Mufti Menk, as he is popularly known, is the grand mufti of Zimbabwe, the head of the fatwa department of the Council of Islamic Scholars of Zimbabwe and a renowned international Muslim scholar and motivational speaker. He holds a degree in Sharia and a doctorate in Social Guidance. His lectures boast a wide audience on YouTube and other social media platforms globally. His lectures and preaching are credited with having converted millions of people to Islam.
Mufti Menk was accompanied by Sheikh Wael Ibrahim from Australia and Dr. Muhammad Salah from Egypt, each of whom was given a preaching session.
Some of the University officials who listened to the lecture include: Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi-Academic Registrar, Mrs Winifred Kabumbuli-Dean of Students, Prof. Abasi Kiyimba-Mak Department of Literature, Dr. Oria Hussein-Chairperson Makerere University Mosque Board, Dr. Muhammed Kiggundu Musoke-Patron (Makerere University Muslim Students Association) MUMSA, Ms Ritah Namisango-Principal Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ssentongo (Imaam Emeritus), to mention but a few.
THE LECTURE
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Umar Kakumba welcomed Mufti Menk and his delegation to Makerere University-the institution that nurtured and trained great men and women who have contributed to the development of the continent. “It is a great honour to host you to speak to the youth on preaching peace, unity and development.”
Mufti Menk acknowledged Makerere University leadership, staff and students for the warm reception. He applauded Allah for the good weather, the green and trees at Makerere University, and for all the good that Allah, bestowed upon Uganda, a beautiful country with hardworking people, organic foods such as very sweet bananas as well as delicious pineapples. He affirmed that Uganda is indeed the pearl of Africa.
In his youth-centred lecture, he rallied the youth to be the torch bearers including the realization that they have a great responsibility to determine the destiny of Uganda. He explained that this starts with the youth recognizing this calling, working towards developing a positive attitude, believing that they can make a positive difference, shunning bad habits, and committing to being responsible citizens.
“To the youth and everyone here, I encourage you to build yourself. No one is going to build you up, if you do not,” he remarked, before adding “You are young, the future is in your hands, if you do the right things, the future will be bright.”
He reminded the youth to avoid words of hate for they bring about destruction. “Watch your words, watch your mouth. If you do not agree with someone, disagree with respect.”
Aware of the existence of a number of religious groups, Mufti Menk acknowledged this diversity and offered a message of living in harmony with one another. “Be careful about how you disagree with people from another faith. If we disagree, it should be with respect.”
To the youth from poor backgrounds, Mufti Menk provided a message of hope and encouragement pointing out that many people from such backgrounds have succeeded in life. “Even if you come from a poor background, you can achieve. I encourage you to work hard, keep trying, never give up, and you will achieve.”
Tackling leadership, Mufti Menk guided that true leadership is heavily anchored in solving problems, and not fleeing from them. “Differences between us are normal, but differences can make us or break us depending on how we handle them. Those who aim to solve the problems and conflicts in the family, the Ummah or the country are the true leaders.”
Mufti Menk said the youth should be agitated if they lose connection with Allah. He advised youth to target their efforts and love towards Allah, above anyone and anything else, and to avoid doing things that displease Allah and compromise their relationship with Allah. He called upon the youth to uphold the importance of prayer. “Whatever you do, ask for Allah’s guidance. Do not ever get prayer out of your life.”
He implored the youth to use social media constructively such as learning, doing business and job creation, instead of gossip, hate speech, pornography, addiction and general idleness. “Take the example of TikTok; the bad side of TikTok is spreading faster than the good side. So, I urge you, when you see a good and useful message on TikTok, do not just read it and flip on; instead, like it and forward it to many people so that the good messages can outnumber the bad ones.”
The Mufti cautioned the youth against disrespecting people they may not agree with. “Even in Islam, there are many sects, but they are all part of the Ummah, and should be accommodated. Everyone makes mistakes. Even married couples or siblings disagree. Therefore, you should learn to live with diverse people in the Ummah or in your country. You should emulate Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who would painstakingly speak to people in the wrong, to win them over and expand the Ummah,” he counseled.
Mufti Menk urged youth to fight bad habits, especially addictions such as pornography, substance abuse, adultery, hate speech and gossip. He advised them to be on the guard to resist temptations that arise from the various media in our hypersexual age. To achieve this, he said, youth need to develop self-confidence and self-esteem.
“Do not be shy; look for help whenever you are in problems of addiction. Be careful and selective because the media promotes a lot of bad desires and behaviours. Care for and help one another. None of you is useless, but you must realize this fact yourself. Drop the negative attitude, and adopt a positive attitude towards different situations and relationships.”
On entrepreneurship, Mufti Menk shared his belief that it provides a solution to lack of jobs and unemployment of the youth. “There is a blessing in entrepreneurship. Sometimes Allah has chosen you for business /entrepreneurship,” he highlighted.
He appealed to the youth to continue searching for jobs. “Don’t give up looking for jobs, scarce as they may be. But, in the meantime, buy something and sell it, do some entrepreneurship. Avoid complaining, and never give up! However intelligent you may be, never stop praying to and trusting in Allah! Never take prayer out of the equation! Also, help those more challenged or vulnerable than you, such as orphans, widows, persons with disabilities or the unemployed.”
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Other activities of the day included Qur’anic recitation by a male student, three preaching sessions, Jummah prayers and Asr prayers.
Being the International Women’s Day, the preaching during the Jummah prayers focused on the fact that Islam gave a lot of rights to women such as inheritance of property. However, the preacher stressed that according to Allah, obligations are more important than rights for every human being.
On March 9, the Mufti attended a religious and interactive cooperation dinner at Serena Kampala hotel for charity causes, where a ticket cost Shs 150,000 for individual person and Shs 5 million for a table.
The organizers of the Mufti’s visit to Uganda said they had invited all Imaams of the 15,000 mosques in the country and all district khadis to the activities of both days.
In a vibrant celebration of youth leadership and African unity, Makerere University hosted the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit, an event that brought together high-profile dignitaries, student leaders, and international partners for a powerful dialogue on the future of the continent. The summit, organized by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, served as a rallying point for East Africa’s young leaders to confront Africa’s most urgent challenges—on their own terms and with their own solutions.
A Warm Welcome and Reflections on Makerere’s Legacy
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, welcomed the distinguished guests, who included Former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo, former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, Justice Simon Byabakama, Hon. Mathew Rukikaire, and European Union Deputy Ambassador Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, among others.
In his address, Prof. Nawangwe reflected on Makerere’s deep historical ties to East Africa’s liberation and development movements. He reminded the audience that Makerere University has been a crucible for the continent’s leadership, stating:
“Jomo Kenyatta was the first person to receive a degree from Makerere when, in 1963, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by then Chancellor Julius Nyerere. All freedom fighters in East Africa studied at Makerere.”
Building on this rich history, Prof. Nawangwe affirmed the university’s current mission to tackle pressing continental issues. “Today,” he said, “Makerere is committed to addressing Africa’s challenges—climate change, disease, poverty, food security, conflict resolution, and economic development. But we cannot do this alone.”
He echoed sentiments later shared by the keynote speaker, stressing that Africa must no longer depend on external interventions:
“Foreign agencies will not solve all Africa’s problems. It is our young people who must step forward and lead the change.”
Uhuru Kenyatta: “You Are the Last Line of Defence”
In a keynote address that resonated deeply with the students and delegates in attendance, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a bold and urgent call to action for Africa’s youth.
“No one is coming to save us,” Kenyatta declared. “You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa.”
Positioning today’s youth as the heirs of the continent’s freedom fighters, Kenyatta described the current moment as a new “independence era”—not of political liberation, but of economic and intellectual sovereignty. He urged students to think critically about intra-African trade, which currently accounts for less than 2.5% of global commerce, and to advocate for the removal of internal barriers to trade, innovation, and mobility.
“You are the freedom fighters of this generation,” he said. “Universities must be incubators of change, and students must be the trustees of tomorrow’s Africa.”
Pan-Africanism, Leadership, and Action
Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo encouraged students to take up the mantle of Pan-Africanism with unwavering commitment. She acknowledged that while the rhetoric of African unity is inspiring, real progress demands more than words:
“You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. But it is easy to say these words—the challenge lies in collective implementation.”
She emphasized the importance of action-oriented leadership and urged the youth to harness their creativity, energy, and education for the benefit of the continent.
European Union’s Message: Leadership with Integrity
Representing Team Europe, the EU Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, gave a passionate speech on the values of authentic leadership, integrity, and inclusive development. He praised Makerere University as a space where “intellectual ambition meets civic responsibility” and emphasized that leadership is not about prestige, but purpose:
“Be a leader because of what you want to be—not because of what you want to have,” he said.
Citing former Makerere alumni such as Julius Nyerere and Wangari Maathai, Chartrain called on students to model courage, resilience, and humility:
“True leadership emerges in moments of loss—when resilience, not triumph, becomes the measure of one’s character.”
The EU, he said, remains committed to supporting youth through programs like Erasmus+, the EU Youth Sounding Board, and partnerships with organizations like Faraja Africa Foundation and Restless Development. These initiatives empower youth not as symbols, but as active participants in shaping policy and governance.
The Legacy Continues
Throughout the summit, speakers highlighted the importance of legacy and long-term impact. They challenged young leaders to think not just about the present, but about the systems and institutions they will leave behind. In the words of Former President Kenyatta:
“Leadership is not about the next election. It’s about the next generation.”
The summit ended on a high note, with students invigorated and inspired to lead with purpose. As global support grows less predictable and Africa stands at a crossroads, the message from Makerere was clear: the future of the continent is in the hands of its youth. And as the Guild Leaders’ Summit demonstrated, they are ready.
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