By Abu Yusra Choudhury
London, (The Muslim News): The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has unveiled candidates for its 2025 leadership election, marking the end of Zara Mohammed’s term as Secretary-General. Mohammed, who became the youngest and first female leader of the organisation in 2021, steps down after completing the maximum four-year term.
During her time in office, she faced ongoing difficulties in fostering a government dialogue with the MCB. Despite having a democratic election process, rotating leadership, and being one of the largest Muslim representative bodies in the UK, the current and previous governments have not engaged with the MCB in the same manner as they do with representative organisations of other faith communities, such as the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Mohammed began her tenure facing early media scrutiny, exemplified by a BBC interview with broadcaster Emma Barnett who was accused of deploying “damaging and prejudicial tropes” following a controversial BBC Radio 4 interview.
During Zara Mohammed’s tenure, the MCB continued to advocate against Islamophobia, which came to a head during this summer’s disturbances.
The upcoming elections, scheduled for next month, will feature two candidates vying for the position of Secretary-General. They are Dr Muhammad Adrees, the current Convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland, and Dr Mohammed Wajid Akhter, who has led various international Muslim healthcare initiatives and is a founding member of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA).
Dr Adrees, drawing on his experience of government engagement in Scotland, emphasises the need for greater recognition of Muslim contributions to British society. “Muslims do matter, and no one can stop us from standing out so that our contributions in the United Kingdom are well recognised and respected,” he states in his manifesto.
Dr Akhter advocates for organisational transformation while maintaining the MCB’s core values. “The MCB was created to serve the British Muslim community and beyond. To inspire a new generation, we need to return to our roots and become a vision-centric movement again,” he says.
The Deputy Secretary-General race features Maswood Ahmed, the current Assistant Secretary General with over 35 years of experience in social work, competing against Lamine Konate, who brings expertise in interfaith dialogue and community finance management.
The election process will conclude at the Annual General Meeting in London on January 25 2025, where affiliated organisations’ delegates will elect the new leadership team. Before the final vote, candidates will participate in hustings across the UK, including events in London, Birmingham, and Manchester, with an additional televised debate planned.
The incoming leadership faces several challenges, including addressing Islamophobia, rebuilding government relations, and representing an increasingly diverse British Muslim community. Both Secretary-General candidates have emphasised unity and transformation in their campaign messages.
The MCB, established in 1997, represents over 500 affiliated organisations nationwide. The election results will be announced during the AGM, where delegates will also select 40 National Council members for the 2025-2027 term.
Photo: Top: MCB Secretary General candidates Dr Muhammad Adrees and Dr Mohammed Wajid Akhter. Below: Deputy Secretary General candidates Maswood Ahmed and Lamine Kone. (Photo credit: MCB)
