Note left on body of slain Christian says he was warned

Islamic extremists in eastern Uganda on March 8 killed a Christian for leading Muslims to faith in Christ, sources said.

Kiisa Masolo, 45, had returned to his home in Nakitiku village, Bunabuka parish, Bubeza Sub-County in Sironko District at 7 p.m. after preaching on the streets of Nakaloke and Busajjabwankuba when seven masked men dressed in Islamic attire broke in and took him away, said his mother, Norah Nandege.

“After whisking him away, three men remained behind and told me that, ‘Allah is very displeased with your son, and we’re out to punish him,'” Nandege told Morning Star News. “Then the three men left.”

She called a clan leader who arrived but told her they should wait til the next morning before taking action, she said. When her son did not show up the following morning, she reported the kidnapping to the Local Council 3 chairperson, and a search began.

“After four hours of search, the body of my son Masolo was found lying lifeless in the bush with a written Arabic note which we could not read,” Nandege said. “A person fluent in Arabic was called to read the script which stated, ‘We had warned you not to convert our Muslim brothers and sisters to Christianity, but you failed to heed to our warning. This has finally cost your life.'”

Muslims had left several warnings and threats on Masolo’s mobile phone telling him to stop converting Muslims to Christianity, she said.

“I tried to advise my son to be very cautious with his life, but he used to tell me that his life was in the hands of God and that he was called to carry out the preaching of the gospel of Christ,” Nandege told Morning Star News. “Since then, I knew that the life of my son was in danger, and he might not live for long due to the many threatening messages of Allah who was out to kill him.”

Masolo’s body, which had deep cuts in the head and neck, was taken to Mbale city mortuary for postmortem and further investigation. He was a member of Calvary Temple in Mbale.

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.

Photo: OpenStreetMap contributors, Jarry1250, NordNordWest, Creative Commons