Uganda (MNN) – Ugandan Christians are facing pressure from East and West, as reports of attacks surface across the country. A physical attack on a pastor this month illustrates what Stephen Wesley with VOM Canada says is a trend increasing since 2018. On the western front, Wesley says the violence is originating in Uganda’s neighbor country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“There is a lot more from the Allied Democratic Forces coming into Uganda and attacking.”
In the East, it’s a different story. There, Muslim-majority communities team up against their Christian counterparts. Wesley says while the attacks were initially more verbal than physical, the intensity of violence is increasing. Reports indicate that attacks are especially ramping up against evangelists and recent converts.
“Because that is the evidence of Christianity’s expression in those places,” Wesley says. “If the church was silent and was not evangelistic, then they would feel no threat.”
Despite this, some Muslims are beginning to see the cracks in their cultural fortress; and those who do are stepping outside it. Choosing Christ over Islam means ostracization, threats, and sometimes even death. But Wesley says even this reality can serve as a confirmation for new believers.
“They see that almost as a weakness of their faith and a strength of Christianity, and therefore they oppose it,” he explains.
On the political front, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to uphold religious freedom in the country, and Wesley says that position is backed by policy.
“Where there have been attacks, there are actual police reports that are written, and people have been arrested. So they are trying to prevent these things from taking place,” he says.
Still, the situation is complex. According to a report from Open Doors International:
“The Ugandan government’s increased surveillance and monitoring, in response to national security concerns, have added another layer of pressure on Christians. While the government’s actions are aimed at curbing Islamic extremism, they place Christians under further scrutiny, particularly in regions already fraught with religious tensions.”
Regardless of human leadership, Wesley says Christians will remain Kingdom-focused, as persecution is neither new nor unexpected for followers of Christ. The history of Uganda itself is peppered with martyrdom, Wesley says, and it’s a backdrop that fortifies believers.
“In the understanding there, they recognize that they are going to suffer some persecution, but they’re not willing to let that prevent them from continuing their faith,” he says.
As the church in Uganda continues to lift up the name of the Lord, would you lift up these brothers and sisters in prayer?
Pray for the light to shine in the darkness and for the Holy Spirit to strengthen believers in love, faith, and endurance. Pray for a spirit of resilience, courage, and boldness amongst the Ugandan church, and pray that lost people would respond to the glorious hope and salvation of Jesus Christ.
Above: Ugandan community, courtesy of illustrate Digital UG via Pexels. Featured image: Ugandan church, courtesy of Fame of God Studios via Unsplash.
