The disturbing treatment of Robert Settimba 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.
“Muslim Extremists Suspected of Killing Tourists, Beating Christian,” Morning Star News, October 20, 2023:
NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – The killers of three people this week in western Uganda accused them of supporting Christian work, and an evangelist in Kampala was beaten unconscious after Muslim extremists on Oct. 10 attacked him for being an “infidel,” sources said.
In the Kawaala area of Kampala, six Muslim extremists shouting, “Kafir [Infidel]!” and the jihadist slogan “Allah akbar [God is greater]” attacked 27-year-old Robert Settimba as he was walking home from street preaching at about 7 p.m., said a friend, whose identity is withheld.
“The Muslims got hold of him and started kicking and boxing him as others came beating him with sticks, as I watched from a distance, helpless,” the friend told Morning Star News. “Some bystanders were shouting at me to disappear or else the attackers will also beat me up. I then left my friend lying down.”
He sought help from a nearby church, and he and other Christians returned to the site, where they found Settimba unconscious and took him to a nearby hospital, he said.
Settimba is well-known to Christians as a street preacher to Muslims in Kampala, Kisenyi, Wandegeya and Kawaala. His injuries included severe chest pain, bruising on his thigh, left hand and shoulder and swelling and inflammation on his left ankle.
“In my mission outreach, many have turned to Christ, especially business young men and women, students and some Muslims leaders,” Settimba told Morning Star News from his hospital bed. “I didn’t know that it was hurting Muslims for me to speak about Christ and use the Koran while doing evangelization.”
Settimba said he regained consciousness in the hospital.
“When I came to my senses, I found myself in the hospital with Christians around my bed,” he said. “They supported me and gave me 50,000 Uganda shillings [US$13] for medical treatment.”
Settimba said he was yet to decide whether it would be too dangerous to file a police report on the assault….
