NAIROBI, Kenya: Sword-wielding Muslim extremists in eastern Uganda killed a Christian on Monday, August 19, allegedly for introducing Muslims to Christ.
Attackers ambushed Yowabu Sebakaki as he rode his bicycle to his hometown of Nyanza village, in Nyanza North Zone, Nyanza Parish, Mugiti Sub-County in Budaka District, Uganda. At the time of the incident, he was fifty-two years old.
In June and July, Muslims threatened Sebakaki with messages such as “We are aware of some secret meeting you are undertaking.” You have to stop preaching as well as converting our faithful Muslims to Christianity. If not, then soon we are coming for your life,” according to his wife, Nambaluka Sebakaki, who had copied the messages to her phone.
Following the facilitation of a discipleship class for new converts at 5:45 p.m. at a Christian’s residence, Sebakaki received transportation home via David Nkomba’s bicycle.
Five kilometers from the homestead, at around 6:20 p.m., Nkomba told Morning Star News, “A motorcycle pulled up right behind us, and Muslim attackers hit Sebakaki on the back near the neck with an object that happened to be a ‘panga,’” or long Somali sword.
“He got cut on the head by another panga after tumbling.” Sebakaki’s excessive bleeding caused him to lose consciousness.”
He claimed that Nkomba leaped off his bike.
“Other attackers were shouting, ‘Your time has come, and pray hard if your God will save you—you have been deceiving people about life after death given by Issa [Jesus],’” Nkomba said.
“I took off, but I managed to recognize one of the attackers as Rashid Siriman, a well-known radical Muslim youth from Mbale.”
Once nearby residents arrived, they hurried Sebakaki to a Mbale hospital; however, according to his wife, he passed away en route.
Budaka police were looking for the attackers.
His pastor said that Sebakaki had apologetics training and had shared the gospel in the predominantly Muslim districts of Namatala, Dhoho, Sekulo, and Mugiti.
The pastor, whose identity is being kept confidential due to security concerns, reported that Sebakaki narrowly escaped an attack by Muslim extremists during his visit to Kamonkoli in January. The incident occurred after he presented a persuasive case during a debate with Islamic scholars.
The pastor claimed that radical Muslims grabbed Sebakaki and began beating him with blunt objects, but Christians who were present saved him. “Since then, he avoided debates with Muslim scholars but began open-air preaching and initiated a discipleship class.”
He said that Sebakaki had continued holding open-air events in Kamonkoli and parts of Ikiki town in Budaka District.
The assault was just one of many incidents of Christian persecution in Uganda that Morning Star News has reported on.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws guarantee the freedom to practice one’s religion and convert to another faith. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.