Published on August 4, 2024, 12:30 am

Image source: Fox News

In the eastern region of Uganda, a 19-year-old girl has suffered a heartrending incident involving persecution due to her conversion to Christianity. On July 21, after discovering that his daughter had turned from Islam to Christianity, the Muslim father assaulted her with a hot flat iron. This distressing incident exemplifies the gravity of religious intolerance and has caused shockwaves throughout the community.

The victim, Naasike Maliyati of Nampologoma in Butaleja District, shared that she attended an evangelistic crusade with a friend while visiting her grandmother in Lwangoli, Busoba Sub-County, Mbale District on July 15. She stated: “When they called people to give their lives to Christ, I also went and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior”. Once she revealed this decision to leave Islam for Christianity to her family members at home, tempers flared uncontrollably.

Maliyati returned home after attending a church service on Sunday only to find herself amidst the rage of her father Abdulrahim Kutosi (44) and uncles. The Noor Islamic Institute student recounted how they tied her up violently attacked her. In anguish, she remembered: “Finally my dad picked up a hot flat iron and hot water and burned me and shouted loudly that I was an embarrassment… I was burned for leaving Islam and converting”.

After the traumatic event unfolded she was abandoned near the Namatala River by relatives where she yelled out for help asking Jesus to come to her aid. Rescue came in form of Nicolas Ndobooli who happened by at just the right moment on his motorcycle. He took quick steps to have Maliyati admitted for medical treatment which cost him 30,000 Uganda shillings ($8 USD).

This horrifying example of religious-based harassment underscores the severity of Christian persecution around the world. Local Christians have been condemning Kutosi’s cruel actions, calling for justice to be meted out.

Although the constitution and other legal provisions of Uganda guarantee religious freedom with explicit protections for changing faiths, instances like these demonstrate continued violations. Muslims constitute a mere 12% of the country’s population, however, their presence is notably concentrated in eastern regions.

Maliyati’s case adds to a growing list of documented cases of Christian persecution in Uganda. It serves as a stark reminder that intolerance towards religious conversion continues to plague societies around the world, providing further need for real and trusted news outlets committed to promoting understanding and respect amongst different worldviews including Christian perspectives.