Published on November 27, 2023, 1:07 am

Image source: Fox News

In a shocking incident caused by religious intolerance, two Christians, Musa Kirongosa (32) and Swidiki Buyinza (27), were brutally attacked by hardliners in eastern Uganda, leading to their hospitalization. The community shock occurred following a Christian-Muslim dialogue event, where both Kirongosa and Buyinza presented their views.

Hailing from an undisclosed church in the small town of Nawaikoke, Kaliro District, they were the first to express their arguments at the Christian-Muslim dialogue held on November 13 in Bulumba. Using references from both the Bible and Quran in their discourse, the speakers declared Muhammad as a false prophet. Kirongosa firmly stated that “Truth is only found in Christ Jesus as the one and only Savior for mankind.”

The presentation took a sour turn as Muslims present during the programme grew increasingly offended by Kirongosa’s comments. The hostility reached such heights that it compelled both Christians to seek immediate refuge at a nearby Christian household.

However, their ordeal was far from over. As they attempted to flee around 7 pm when the area seemed deserted, they were intercepted by Buruhan Musobya—a known local extremist—and six others. Brimming with malice towards them as perceived ‘enemies’ of Islam and Prophet Mohammad, these assailants brutally beat them with blunt objects, destroyed their motorcycle, and tore apart their Bibles along with other pieces of Christian literature.

Their savage assault led not just to multiple injuries but resulted in Kirongosa’s leg fracture as well. Thankfully enough for these victims—while there’s still much more left to be appreciated—the arrival of a taxi disrupted the antagonists’ onslaught. Some passengers among whom was a Pastor from Kaliro town recognised Kirongosa and quickly rush them both off to hospital.

While all this reportedly emanated from legitimate differences over religious beliefs particularly after expressing unpopular opinions at an interfaith meeting, it raises a deeply troubling question. Is freedom of speech truly appreciated within Uganda’s increasingly crucial interfaith dialogues?

Despite the horrific ordeal, Buyinza shared a silver lining to their story. He disclosed that a Sheikh visited them in secret during their hospital stay, confessing an interest in Christianity after their controversial debate session.

Though this event was undoubtedly alarming, it has become increasingly common in Uganda where Muslim groups account for roughly 12% of the population with high concentrations in east regions. It’s a grim reality that these instances make up only a fraction of the reported persecutions of Christians in Uganda.

While Ugandan law allows freedom of religious belief and practice, including conversion and proselytization, the practical application seems highly flawed given occurrences like these. However, no situation is devoid of hope; awareness and understanding generated by trusted news outlets bring us one step closer to tackling such hateful incidents effectively from a Christian Worldview perspective.

Keeping faith alive following such episodes reaffirms our belief that “all things work together for good to those who love Jesus” as claimed by Buyinza himself. Real News like this can be instrumental in fostering tolerance and compassion among all communities, regardless of religious affiliations and convictions.