Updates

• Pastor Bernard Mulongo (July 2026): The 25-year-old pastor of the New Restoration Church of Christ was killed on July 18, 2026, near Mbale, Uganda. Hours prior, he participated in a public Christian-Muslim debate and radio broadcast where two Muslim women publicly put their faith in Jesus Christ. An opposing local imam is a primary suspect in the targeted killing.
• Pastor John Michael Okoel and Assistant Pastor Abraham Omoding (January 2026): Two pastors from the New Life Church in Pallisa were ambushed and beaten by masked extremists with sticks and knives while returning from an all-night prayer meeting, facing accusations of blasphemy and converting Muslims.
• Pastor Weere Mukisa and Family (October 2024): An Islamist mob burned down the home of 30-year-old Pastor Mukisa in Namutumba District, killing him, his wife, and their two young daughters after he helped three Muslims convert to Christianity.

John 15:20

• National Laws: Uganda’s constitution guarantees official freedom of religion and the legal right to convert from one faith to another.
• Regional Tensions: While Uganda is predominantly Christian (over 80%), Muslims make up about 12% of the population with high concentrations in the eastern regions.
• Triggers for Violence: Tensions typically spike when local religious debates occur, or when family and community members convert from Islam to Christianity, leading to localized threats, beatings, and attacks by radical elements.