Archbishop Lwanga consoles Muslims after killings

Jan 03, 2015

Archbishop Lwanga consoles the Muslim community following the killing of two prominent clerics in a space of four days.


By Juliet Lukwago                       

KAMPALA – The Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has consoled the Muslim community following the killing of two prominent clerics in a space of four days.

Sheikh Mustafa Bahinga and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Muwaya were murdered in similar fashion by unknown gunmen late last year, igniting a lot of anger.

The Archbishop condemned the killings, along with other related acts including child sacrifice, defilement, rape, robbery with aggravation, intentional infection with deadly diseases such as HIV/Aids through blood transfusion.

In his condolence message delivered during a New Year church service in Kampala, Lwanga said killers should stop committing crime.

“The Catholic Church feels great sympathy for all Muslims in the country upon losing such prominent clerics under such deplorable circumstances. Such murderous acts should be condemned in the strongest terms possible. We call upon the killers to stop, as no one is at liberty to take away another person’s life,” he said.

“As we enter 2015 all people should forget hatred and animosity so that we can start living a new life full of respect for humanity and love of one another as one family.”

Lwanga was at St Peter’s Nsambya Catholic Parish in Kampala where he led a Holy Mass.

Sheikh Bahiga, who was the Kampala district Muslim leader of the Tabliqs, was gunned down Sunday night by unknown assailants outside a mosque in Bwebajja, on Entebbe road.

His murder came only four days after the killing of Sheikh Muwaya, the national leader of the Shia Muslim sect in Mayuge district.

The latest killings brought to five the number of Muslim clerics who have been gunned down by assailants travelling on boda bodas (motorcycles) since 2012.

Coincidentally, in all the incidents, victims were killed after attending prayers at a mosque.

Kayihura: ‘I feel a sense of failure’
 


Gen. Kayihura and Sheikh Obed Kamulegeya during prayers for the late Sheikh Bahiga (Photo credit: Roderick Ahimbazwe)


Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura promised to provide security to all top Muslim clerics who are reportedly being targeted by unknown assailants.

This was after Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata, the director of Dawah in the Kibuli-based Muslim faction, claimed he knew the people involved in the murderous scheme.

During prayers for murdered Sheikh Bahiga, Muzaata gave a list to the police boss, saying they are under threat. All the clerics on the list belong to the Kibuli faction.

The list, according to Muzaata, includes: himself (Muzaata), Sheikh Najib Sonko (the head of William Street mosque), Umaru Swidiq Ndaula (leader of the sheikhs), Sheikh Hassan Kirya (Kibuli Muslim spokesperson), Mahmoud Abdallah Kibaate (deputy Supreme Mufti) and Sheikh Haruna Jemba (lecturer at Makerere University).

“There must be law and order in the country. I will also provide security to mosques if you want to ensure this does not happen again,” Kayihura said.

He reaffirmed his earlier stand that the killings of the Muslim clerics were the work of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.

“I did not know there were other problems because I have been following the joint Muslim committee reports in the media and thinking things are okay. There matters must be sorted out,” he said, and apologized for the Police not protecting Sheikh Bahiga.

“As a person with a duty to protect people, I feel a sense of failure. I am very sorry that we could not keep him alive,” a visbly remorseful Kayihura told a silent gathering.

(Additional reporting by Umaru Kashaka)


 

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