THE Arusha Muslim Union is filing a case with the intent to drag the Tanzania Muslim Council to court in the ongoing controversy surrounding the plot of land on which the main Bondeni Friday Mosque is located.

Apparently, the Arusha Muslim Union (AMU) which owns the title deed for the main Friday Mosque in the city center has been angered by recent real estate development projects being undertaken by the Tanzania Muslim Council (BAKWATA) in the area without the former’s consent.

BAKWATA is said to be erecting a belt of shops around the main Friday Mosque, a project which the Arusha Muslim Union members are against, because there were earlier plans to build a bigger and modern prayer house on the plot.

In a bid to stop that, AMU is consulting the services of one of the law firms in Arusha, the Akoonay Advocates in filing the legal matter before courts of law.

Asked about the issue, Lawyer Mustafa Akunay admitted to having received a letter from the Arusha Muslim Union and that some negotiations are going on between AMU and his law firm regarding the soon-to-be-filed court case.

The Tanzania Muslim Council (BAKWATA)’s National Secretary, Sheikh Nuru Jabir Mruma called off the AMU bluff, saying AMU members could go to court for all he cares, because no law has been broken.

According to the Arusha Muslim Union (AMU) leaders, the Bondeni Friday Mosque, standing on Plot Number 478 mapped within Blocks H’ and I’m in Area ‘F,’ between Pangani and Bondeni streets, is an important and holy religious property that should not be tarnished  by string of retail shops.

 “The Bondeni Friday Mosque is an important religious house in which National Leaders including Presidents, Ministers and Permanent Secretaries usually worship while in Arusha,” said Sheikh Aziz Bashir one of the AMU leaders.

Previously, members of the Arusha Muslim Union (AMU) had appealed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, for the Head of State to intervene in saving the main Bondeni Friday Mosque from being turned into the proposed rowdy bazaar.

The Arusha Regional Sheikh Shaaban Bin Jumaa has admitted that there were indeed plans to erect some structures around the Friday Mosque for investments but the project has however stalled for a while pending more consultations.

 “It was all meant to generate more income for the mosque, not otherwise, but we are still discussing the matter through a series of meetings,” he said, adding that at the moment he was in

A visit to the Bondeni Mosque area revealed a perimeter corrugated iron sheets fencing indicating some construction work going on, with a wooden signboard bearing construction permit Number 163/2023 for the commerce' shops project erected on the plot.