Uganda: Woman attacked for housing converts to Islam

Morning Star News reported on 23 September 2021 that a group of radical Muslims attacked an elderly Christian woman for housing two Christian converts from Islam, 18 and 22 years of age, at her home in Iganga, Iganga District. The attackers apparently gained access by posing as Christians supporting the persecuted. Yonas Dembele, analyst at World Watch Research (WWR), comments: "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. According to World Christian Database statistics, Muslims make up only 11.7% of Uganda"s population (WWR, Uganda Full Country Dossier, March 2021, p.8), with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country, where the harassment of Christians - especially of converts - is very common. There have been several reports of attacks targeting Christians in eastern Uganda in 2021 (e.g. WWR, 23 September 2021). It is clear that the government needs to put measures in place to address such violations of religious freedom and deal with those responsible for causing harm to Christians - to serve as a deterrent to others."