More than 600 Ugandan Muslims have embarked on the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant religious milestone for the East African nation. The pilgrims gathered at Entebbe International Airport in the early hours of Thursday, May 29, 2025, accompanied by family members who came to bid them farewell. This year’s pilgrimage is coordinated by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), with Sheikh Ali Juma Shiwuyu, the UMSC Secretary in charge of Hajj and Umrah, leading the main delegation alongside other officials.
The Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every Muslim who is physically and financially capable. The Ugandan pilgrims underwent final clearance procedures at the airport, including document verification and the issuance of travel essentials by their respective Hajj travel agencies.
However, not all intending pilgrims were able to commence their journey as planned. Several individuals faced challenges in securing travel visas from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, leading to their exclusion from the initial flight. Zakalia Kyewalyanga, Chairperson of the Uganda Hajj Bureau, attributed these delays to technical issues with the Saudi visa portal system and delays in payment by certain travelers. He explained that the system experienced downtime starting from Thursday, and while it was restored on Saturday, not all pilgrims were processed in time. Additionally, some pilgrims made payments at the last minute, causing delays in the reflection of funds in the Ministry of Hajj’s accounts, which in turn affected visa issuance .
Despite these setbacks, the Ugandan authorities are working diligently to ensure that all pilgrims who have completed the necessary requirements are able to travel. Kyewalyanga advised affected pilgrims to continue following up on their travel documentation through their respective agents. Furthermore, the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council is actively working towards establishing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Hajj Affairs in Saudi Arabia to streamline the Hajj process and address the concerns raised by Ugandan pilgrims .
The Hajj pilgrimage is scheduled to commence in mid-June, with millions of Muslims worldwide expected to gather in Mecca for this sacred journey. The Ugandan pilgrims now join their fellow Muslims in fulfilling one of the most profound religious obligations in Islam.
