NAIROBI , Kenya , January 12, 2021
(Morning Star News ) – Following the
conversion of a Muslim imam to
Christianity, mosque leaders in eastern
Uganda on Dec. 27 incited a group of
Muslims to beat a pastor and his wife
and demolish parts of their church
building, sources said.
Pastor Moses Nabwana’s wife was
hospitalized for five days, and the
church leader several days more, after
a Muslim mob attacked them in
Nankodo Sub-County, Kibuku District as
they returned home from a late
afternoon church service.
The imam, whose name is withheld for
security reasons, put his faith in Christ
on Dec. 5 and on Dec 27 joined the
church worship in Nankodo Sub-County
at about 4 p.m., said Lovisa Naura, the
pastor’s wife. The new Christian was
given the opportunity to share the
journey of how he came to faith in
Christ.
“The members were overjoyed and
made loud shouts and praises to God,
which attracted the nearby Muslims to
take note, and at 6 p.m. the
announcement in the mosque was
made of the apostasy of the imam,”
Naura told Morning Star News.
Church members arranged to relocate
the now-former imam and his wife,
who had put her faith in Christ on Dec.
10, at a safehouse until a more
permanent location is determined.
As the pastor and his wife were
returning home, eight Muslims attacked
them in the Kazigo area at around 7
p.m., Naura said.
“They began by beating my husband,
hitting him with sticks and blunt
objects on the head, the back, his belly
and chest,” Naura told Morning Star
News. “I made a loud alarm, and one
of the attackers hit me with blows and
a stick that affected my chest, back
and broke my hand.”
Christian neighbors who heard mention
of Pastor Nabwana’s name rushed
over, and the assailants fled, Naura
said. The couple received treatment at
a clinic in nearby Kasasira, and when
Pastor Nabwana’s condition worsened
the next day, he was the transferred to
a hospital in Ngiino, Kumi District, she
said.
Naura, mother of eight children
(including twins) ages 18 months to 12
years old, said she recognized four of
the assailants.
“We are yet to report this horrible
incident to the police,” Naura said. “My
prayers at the moment are for the
quick recovery of my husband.”
The night of the attack, area Muslims
demolished the roof, windows, doors
and other parts of the church building
that has a capacity for 500 people,
leaving a heap of broken debris, she
said. Chairs, benches, musical
instruments, amplifiers and other items
were destroyed.
Pastor Nabwana had drawn the
attention of the former imam by
passing out free face masks to protect
against the novel coronavirus.
Distributing the masks, the pastor
gained many opportunities to talk about
Christ with villagers, his wife said.
Naura was also attacked last year after
a Muslim identified only as Muhammad
damaged a banana plantation, she
said.
“That time my husband was away, and
I visited the home of Muhammad to try
to ask the reason for doing such an
evil act,” she told Morning Star News.
“He jumped up and kicked me on my
stomach and slapped me. I was rushed
to a clinic in Tirinyi.”
Since the Dec. 27 attack, she has been
referred to Mulago hospital for further
treatment but has no money, she said.
To date the medical bill has reached
3.5 million Uganda shillings (US
$9,417), she said.
“We are requesting for prayers for
quick recovery of my husband, money
to settle the medical bills and money
for rebuilding the demolished church,”
Naura said.
A senior pastor of their church said he
was shocked by the attack and that he
is fearful about possible future
violence.
“Please stand with us in prayers and
for financial support,” he said.
The assault was the latest of many
instances of persecution of Christians
in Uganda that Morning Star News has
documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws
provide for religious freedom, including
the right to propagate one’s faith and
convert from one faith to another.
Muslims make up no more than 12
percent of Uganda’s population, with
high concentrations in eastern areas of
the country.
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