The Muslim residents of a village in eastern Uganda have been accused of desecrating the corpse of a Christian convert who was killed by unknown assailants last month after receiving threatening messages.
Muluuta Kuzaifa, who converted to Christianity two years ago, was attacked near his home in Kachomo village on April 1 while he was returning from work in Kampala. Just weeks after he came to Kampala, he reportedly received several threatening messages, including one that stated: "You think you are safe in Kampala. We shall soon come for your neck."
He passed away the day after the attack and his body was taken to a funeral home in Kachomo.
According to Morning Star News, Kuzaifa came to Kampala after he was rejected by his relatives when he decided to return home two years after his conversion to Christianity.
The victim's wife, Fatuma Muluuta, said his father, Mukongo Jamada Muluuta Mubaraka, seemed unreceptive when she informed him about the death of Kuzaifa.
Fatuma claimed that prior to the desecration of Kuzaifa's body, Mubaraka stated, "My son thought that he can run away from Allah, but he could not."
According to Morning Star News, the Muslim residents of the village are accused of taking Kuzaifa's body from the mortuary on April 4 and mistreating the body before burying him in a small grave.
"Word went around that Kuzaifa's body was mutilated and not properly buried. His body was not washed, several pins were inserted into his body, they dug a very small grave for the body, and several cuts were made on his corpse." Fatuma told Morning Star News.
The rumors prompted Christians to gather in large numbers and storm the burial site. Fatuma said they exhumed the body to give Kuzaifa a decent burial.
However, the incident has added to the tensions between Christians and Muslims in the village, according to Kuzaifa's pastor, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons.
"The family of Kuzaifa needs prayers for God to comfort the young family left behind and for financial assistance," the pastor said, according to Morning Star News.
The wife said she has now received several threatening messages, with one reportedly warning, "[i]f you continue with Christianity you will go the same way of your husband."
Ugandan Christians who come from an Islamic background can be ostracized and even attacked by their own relatives after their conversion.
In March, a 27-year-old man who recently converted to Christianity suffered burns on nearly half of his body after he was attacked with cooking oil by his own relatives.
Muslims make up 13.7 percent of Uganda's population of 44 million, according to World Population Review. Around 39 percent of the population identify as Catholics, 32 percent as Anglicans and 11 percent as Pentecostal.
Uganda's constitution protects the rights of citizens to propagate their faith and convert from one religion to another. However, Christians have been fearful of attacks due to the rise of radical Islamic activities in the country.
