News

Uganda: Christian Convert from Islam Killed

July 11, 2022

The disturbing treatment of Simolya Latifu illustrates yet again how conversion to Christianity is so often the occasion for persecution of Christians — both of the converts and of those who brought the converts the word of the Gospel. 

Among the Christians of Uganda are around 35,000 Orthodox Christians. 

For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of Christian persecution in Uganda, see here.

“Christian Convert from Islam Killed in Eastern Uganda,” Morning Star News, July 6, 2022:

NAIROBIKenya (Morning Star News) – Three men reviling a convert to Christianity for leading Muslims to Christ in eastern Uganda killed him on Sunday (July 3), a witness said.

Simolya Latifu of Molu village, Kasasira Sub-County, Kibuku District was slain with a sword at about 7:15 p.m. at a swamp near Molu, the witness said. Latifu was 47.

Latifu had left an evening service at Christ Discipleship Worship Center in Molu at about 6:30 p.m., and three witnesses saw a motorcycle and then heard wailing and calls for help at a nearby swamp at 7:15 p.m., one said.

“The killers were condemning him for converting Muslims to Christianity,” the witness told Morning Star News. “We hid ourselves in a thick bush.”

The witnesses were able to recognize the alleged assailants as Ali Buyinza, Muhammad Kamunyani and Jamada Walyomba, he said.

“We saw Buyinza cut him on the head with a sword, and thereafter they left,” said the witness, unidentified for security reasons. “We remained there for about 30 minutes, and then we took courage and slowly went to see the slain man and discovered that he worshipped with us at Christ Discipleship Worship Center.”…

Police arrested Buyinza, taking him to Kibuku police station amid tight security as residents sought to kill him, Pastor Muzei said. Buyinza told police, “We warned him to come back to our religion and gave him several opportunities, but he turned a deaf ear – we’re proud of killing him,” a source said…..

Latifu is survived by his wife and five children.

He converted to Christianity in June 2019 and then fled opposition to Lira District after leading several Muslims to Christ. Believing Muslim extremists had given up looking for him, Latifu had returned to Kibuku District in February, Pastor Muzei said….

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.