Muslim Father in Uganda kills Daughter for Becoming Christian

In March, Kyomuhendo – who is 24
but slight in stature and looks much
younger – had accompanied her father,
a sheikh (Muslim teacher) on a
business trip from Mbarara District to
Mbale District, 492 kilometers (305
miles) away. She began listening to
Christian programing aired on an FM
radio station.
They were still at her aunt’s house in
Nawuyo village, Mbale District, on May
4 when at 10 p.m. she called a
business friend of her father’s whom
she knew to be a Roman Catholic.
“She explained to me about Christ and
the way of salvation, and I got
convicted and accepted Jesus as my
Lord and Savior,” Kyomuhendo told
Morning Star News by phone. “As she
was sharing Christ with me, I was so
overjoyed, and my father heard my joy
and woke up, came from his bedroom
furiously and started beating me up
with blows, slaps and kicks.”
Her father, Sheikh Hussein Byaruhanga
Husain of Mbarara District, shouted at
his 45-year-old sister who was sleeping
in another room, telling her that his
daughter had converted to Christianity
and that therefore he was going to kill
her, Kyomuhendo said.
He quickly broke a jerrican, lit the
pieces with its remaining fuel and
began burning her, a source who spoke
with Kyomuhendo told Morning Star
News. Kyomuhendo screamed for help,
and her aunt got out of bed and
shielded her from her father, the
source said.
“She carried her outside of the room
together with a Christian neighbor who
arrived,” the source said. “The neighbor
arranged for a taxi-van that took her to
a hospital, and she got immediate
treatment.”
Kyomuhendo is expected to remain at
Mbale Regional Referral Hospital more
than a month with serious burns on her
leg, stomach, rib area, near her neck
and on part of her back, he said.
“Please pray for Kyomuhendo for a
quick recovery on her hospital bed,” the
source said.
Kyomuhendo and the neighbor have
not reported the assault to police for
fear that her father might try kill her, he
said.
The attack 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.