In a tragic act of religious persecution, a Muslim man in eastern Uganda stabbed his son to death for converting to Christianity, highlighting the ongoing threats faced by believers in the region.
Hamba Ahammada, 62, attacked his 33-year-old son, Hamba Juma, with a long Somali knife known as a panga on January 28, 2026, along the Kaliro-Iganga road in Iganga District, about 3 miles from Iganga town. Juma, a father of four children aged 12, 10, 7, and 3, had converted to Christianity along with his wife, Nangobi Mariati, drawing ire from his family. After planting rice in a swamp, the couple returned home to find Ahammada waiting. They shared lunch and dinner, but after supper, Ahammada requested the panga from Juma’s 12-year-old son.
He then called Juma outside, where he assaulted him and fled the scene. Mariati recounted: “When he reached there, my father-in-law picked up the panga and started cutting my husband, and he disappeared.” Juma screamed for help but was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. A neighbor reported seeing a motorcycle speeding away, suggesting an accomplice aided the escape.
Mariati attributed the killing to religious hostility: “My father-in-law, together with other family members, has been insulting us, sending harsh words, promising to kill all of us for leaving Islam.” As of the report, police had not investigated the incident.This case exemplifies the severe persecution Christians face in Uganda, where Muslims comprise about 12% of the population but are concentrated in eastern areas.
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