This was heartbreaking.
A Muslim teacher at an Islamic school in eastern Uganda, who converted to Christianity on October 4, was tragically murdered on October 21, according to local reports.
Wanjala Hamidu, 32, taught at Swidiki Islamic School in Nankoma, Bugiri District, located 4 kilometers from his home in Masita village. After Hamidu’s conversion to Christianity, his brothers brutally beat him to death. He had embraced Christianity after attending an evangelistic event in Bulange on October 4 with his brother, Wulasiyo Swamadu. While Hamidu stayed behind for additional Christian teachings, Swamadu returned home and informed the family of his conversion, which quickly spread to the school and the village. The headteacher, upon hearing about Hamidu’s conversion, decided to terminate his employment at the end of the school term.
On October 21, four of Hamidu’s brothers, led by Hiire Isifu and Hawumba Jamada, came to the school, where they were granted permission by school officials to take Hamidu back to Masita. Once at home, they demanded that he renounce Christianity, but he refused. Isifu slapped Hamidu while the other brothers searched for a stick to carry out what they believed were the 39 lashes prescribed by Islam for apostasy.
According to a local Christian source, the attack was so violent that neighbors rushed to the scene after hearing Hamidu’s cries. When they arrived, they found him on the ground, held by his brothers, bleeding heavily. His mother was seen nearby, screaming for help, but no one dared intervene due to the authority the family had in the village under Islamic law. Hamidu soon died from severe head and chest injuries caused by a sharp object.
Police were called to the scene, but the attackers had already fled. The four brothers remain on the run, and local authorities continue to search for them.
In Uganda, the constitution guarantees religious freedom, but this tragic incident highlights the risks faced by those who convert from Islam to Christianity. The killing of Hamidu follows a similar case earlier in October, when Muslim extremists murdered evangelist Emmanuel Dikusooka for leading 18 Muslims to Christ. The incident marks another example of the ongoing persecution of Christians in Uganda.
Although Muslims make up only around 12% of Uganda’s population, their presence is significant in the eastern regions, where these incidents have occurred.