ZIMU Launched in Mukono: Uganda’s Historic Inclusion in the World Zionist Congress.
(All Photos Credit: ZIMU)
The World Zionist Congress finally incorporated the Uganda Federation as its second member in Africa after an unprecedented move that lasted over 8 years of relentless effort and determination. All thanks to Avram Mukibi, a vibrant Ugandan Jew from Mbale, a member of Kol Yisrael, who has embarked on this journey since 2018. When almost everyone had given up, his resilience and unwavering follow-up actions kept him and his board going for nearly a decade until the decision was approved by the Zionist general council.
This historic inclusion, after it made global headlines in January 2025, eventually led to the creation of the organization called ZIMU to represent Uganda as part of the World Zionist Organization. The Zionist Movement of Uganda, ZIMU, aims for true inclusivity among the Jews in the country irrespective of sects and affiliations. Besides giving the Abayudaya a voice in the Zionist Congress, one of its missions is making Judaism an officially recognized religion in Uganda. Another important one is raising voices to advocate for the needs of the Jews in the diaspora.
Founded in 1897, the Zionist Organization (ZO) evolved into the World Zionist Organization (WZO) in 1960. All along, it is a non-governmental entity that promotes Zionism. Since its inception, it has pursued initiatives tailored to the unity of the Jewish people, aliyah to Israel, furthering Jewish, Hebrew, and Zionist education, and many other projects. And with associate Jewish organizations across the globe working together objectively to strengthen the WZO, the recent admittance of the Uganda Jews signals a new frontier for Black African Jewry.
On the 9th of June, 2025, all roads led to Mukono in central Uganda, the host venue for the official launching ceremony of the Zionist Movement of Uganda, ZIMU. The town, located at the outskirts of the capital, Kampala, is home to both the Mukono Orthodox Jewish community and Tzyon Beit Hamitzvot. For lovers of tourism, beyond these synagogues, one can embark on a scenic retreat to Ssezibwa Falls for relaxation and sightseeing.
With guests arriving from Namanyonyi Synagogue in Mbale and other parts of the country, including the outgoing Israeli ambassador and invited non-Jewish representatives, the event kicked off with the singing of the Hatikvah followed by the Ugandan national anthem. The audience was seated comfortably under canopies, and the venue was well arranged, thanks to the combined effort of members of the host Jewish communities who worked tirelessly to ensure a successful event. As the occasion progressed, we listened to remarks from several selected speakers as they lent their voices to the purpose of the day.
Speaking on behalf of her community, Sarah Nakintu, who doubles as both synagogue coordinator and vice president of the Sub-Saharan African Jewish Alliance (SAJA), motivated the crowd with a captivating speech. She thanked the ambassador for honoring the invitation and was full of praise for Avram for championing the movement for all these years.
“ZIMU is being launched as both a movement and a mission. A platform for engagement, empowerment, and education for Zionist values and identity across Uganda, Africa, and the world.”
Another speaker was the elder JJ Keki from the Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalom (KKBS) congregation in Nangolo, Eastern Uganda. In his speech, he briefly narrated the history of the Abayudaya Jews, tracing their origin to a man named Semei Kakungulu in 1919 who discovered two things from the locally translated Bible that triggered his conversion and that of his vast followers: Shabbat being the 7th day and the covenant of circumcision. But prior to his speech, we also listened to Orah Lawrence Ben Avraham, the gabbai of the Mukono Orthodox community. Lawrence is currently taking a rabbinical course in a rabbinical school in the United States.
The honorable Israeli ambassador, Michael Lotem, in his speech emphasized that even though today you’re joining the Zionist Federation, being part of a community is really what matters, where everyone can continue to practice the lifestyle of being a Jew.
However, the peak moment of the day was when Avram Mukibi, the nominated delegate to represent Uganda in the Zionist Congress, addressed the audience, who cheered him while he spoke. He stated that for the first time ever, the Ugandan Jewish communities will be represented at the 39th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. Their dream that one day Uganda will have a voice in the halls of Zionism has eventually been realized.
“Our message to the world is simple. The Jewish people are one. Whether they’re in Israel, the United Kingdom, the United States, or Uganda. We are bound by destiny and a common hope. The Zionist Congress, a forum where Jewish voices of all backgrounds come together to shape the future, is richer and stronger when it includes the full diversity of our global nations.”
Other highlights of the day included women entertaining the audience with beautiful songs in Hebrew, group photographs, people catching up with friends, the granting of personal interviews to reporters, and a delicious meal of local delicacies to mark this special day. What happens between now and the next Congress outing in Israel will provide the projectile path to successfully position the Ugandan Jews as their other counterparts, taking them from where they are at the moment to where they deserve to be in the future.
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