Respecting sacred boundaries: Lessons from Chosen Becky’s Mecca visit

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OPINION

By Muhsin Kaduyu Nuwagaba

As a Ugandan Muslim, I have followed the uproar over musician Chosen Becky’s trip to Mecca with a heavy heart. This is not just about one person’s journey. It is about the ripple affects her visit could have on the fragile peace we enjoy in this country.

Chosen Becky, who has said she has not converted to Islam, travelled to Mecca, performed Umrah, and shared photos online. To many Muslims, this was deeply painful. Mecca is off-limits to non-Muslims, as the Qur’an makes clear in Surah Al-Tawbah. It is not a tourist attraction but a sacred sanctuary. Her presence there felt like crossing a line that protects what is holy to more than a billion people worldwide.

This is not a personal attack on her. I do not believe she acted out of malice. Perhaps she went with family or out of curiosity. But in a country like Uganda, where Christians, Muslims, and others live side by side, actions like this can easily spark tension. Our peace is delicate, and history shows how quickly small sparks can grow into fires.

We saw this recently when one prominent Sheikh criticised people visiting Namugongo, the Christian martyrs’ shrine, dismissing it as idol worship. Christians pushed back, accusing him of hypocrisy. That single exchange ignited online hostility, divided communities, and even drew threats. If words alone can provoke such anger, how much more can action that touch holy spaces.

We need not look far to understand the meaning of sacredness. Every community, whether religious or cultural, holds certain places, practices, and values as untouchable. These are not simply traditions but anchors of identity, dignity, and belonging. When such boundaries are ignored, it is more than a personal slight. It shakes trust, weakens the bonds that hold people together, and creates wounds that are hard to heal.

Respect for the sacred is therefore not only an act of faith but also an act of peacebuilding. It is the recognition that some things are bigger than our curiosity or individual freedom, and that honouring them safeguards harmony for everyone.

To Chosen Becky, I believe you did not intend to harm. But it would help our nation if you spoke openly about what inspired your journey. Were you aware of the restrictions around Mecca? Did the experience move you spiritually? Do you feel any connection to Islam after being there? And how would you respond to Muslims who feel wounded by it? Honest reflection could heal tensions before they harden.

Uganda thrives on unity. That unity is only possible when we respect what is sacred to each other. This moment should remind us that peace depends heavily on respect, and without respect, peace will not last.

The writer is a peace practitioner and member of the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum (AU-IFDF).

Email: mkaduyu@yahoo.com