Uganda Hajj Bureau Defends Hajj Classification, Urges Pilgrims to Pay Early

What the report says

Uganda’s Bureau of Hajj Affairs has defended the way it classifies pilgrimage packages and urged pilgrims and Hajj companies to make payments early as Saudi Arabia’s increasingly digital Hajj system leaves less room for delays. The comments were made by the bureau’s vice chairperson, Sheikh Twawil Baligeya, during an appearance on Salam TV’s Omukeeze programme in Uganda.

According to Nile Post, Baligeya said Hajj packages are grouped into four tiers — A, B, C and D — according to price and services. He described Class A as VVIP, Class B as VIP, Class C as the middle option and Class D as the lowest-cost package. He said the bureau generally promotes a moderate package that many Ugandan pilgrims can afford, and he noted that delayed payments remain a major challenge for preparations.

Baligeya said late payments that were once tolerated are now harder to manage because Saudi Arabia’s Hajj process is more tightly controlled online. He stressed that fees must be settled before pilgrims travel to Makkah. He also said Hajj officials travel ahead to arrange accommodation and other services for Ugandan pilgrims after the rituals in Mina, which is part of the annual Hajj sequence.

The bureau official also raised broader administrative issues, including the need for calendars to show both Gregorian and Hijri dates so Muslims can track religious observances more easily. He also accused two Hajj companies that had sought to operate outside the bureau of acting out of greed, while insisting the bureau’s finances are overseen by Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.