Pastor, family burned alive in Islamist attack

Mother of three children beaten, burned with acid for converting to Christianity

By means of Morning Star News, Saturday October 26, 2024

NAIROBI, Kenya – Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a preacher and his family after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the preacher’s brother said.

Pastor Weere Mukisa, his 25-year-old wife, Annet Namugaya, and their two daughters, 7-year-old Judith Banirye and 4-year-old Sylvia Bamukisa, died when the attackers set fire to their house shortly before 3am. Oct. 13, said the church leader’s brother, James Tusubira. Pastor Mukisa was 30.

The tragic attack took place in Kibale village, Mpumiro Parish, Bulange Sub-County, Namutumba District. Pastor Mukisa had led Muslims to Christ in September.

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“When the three young Muslims converted to Christ, my brother began to receive threatening messages that he should stop all contact with the three young converts, and that the act committed is against the teachings of Islam not to join in the religion of unbelievers,” Tusubira said. Morning Star News.

Tusubira said he saw flames and smoke coming from the family’s home at 2:48 a.m

“We rushed to the scene and found the house on fire and the five bodies burnt beyond recognition,” he said. “Many people arrived until dawn. Plastic bottles of petrol were found outside the house.”

The attackers came from a neighboring village and were known to the pastor, Tusubira said.

The killings were reported to police in Kibale. Officers were hunting for the suspects, who are in hiding, Tusubira said.

Villagers were left in shock and fear by the horrific attack, he said.

“Please pray for us so that these radical Muslims who destroyed my brother and the entire family can be held accountable,” Tusubira said.

Mother burned with acid

In Nankoma, Bugiri District, a mother of three was beaten and burned with acid by her Muslim husband after he learned that she had placed her faith in Christ.

Hidaaya Nabafa, 27, was treated in hospital for severe burns after the attack by Juma Nsibambi, 42, she said.

Nabafa had received Christ in August at a church in Nankoma village, which was not made public for security reasons. To keep her faith secret, she had gone to a worship service on October 9 while her husband was in Kampala.

“When I returned at 4 p.m., I found my husband at home and he asked me where I was; I kept quiet for a while,” Nabafa told Morning Star News from her hospital bed. “I finally decided to tell him the truth that I was giving my life to Jesus.”

She had Christian tracts on the life of Christ, she said.

“When he heard my confession, he got irritated, boxed me and started beating me up,” Nabafa said. “I tried to raise an alarm for rescue, but all in vain.”

Nsibambi briefly left and left her on the ground, and when he returned he poured battery acid on her, she said.

“I lost consciousness but ended up in the hospital bed,” said the mother of three children aged 7, 5 and 2.

Neighbors arrived and took her to a hospital in Bugiri, where she was expected to continue treatment for a few more weeks due to the severity of the burns. She is expected to need reconstructive surgery for some parts of her body that were badly injured by the acid.

These attacks were the last of a lot of examples 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 promote one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in the eastern parts of the country.

Originally published on Morning Star News