Latest data of the Ugandan National Census revealed in 2002 that 12% of the population were Muslims. Most of them were Sunni, but Shia were 7% and Ahmadi Muslims were 4%. Almost ten years later, the number of Muslims in the country was estimated to six million (35%). Despite this sharp growth, Islam is still a minority religion in Uganda, where Christians represent about three quarters of the population.
Faith in Uganda is especially marked by the colonial period. Since then, most of the inhabitants have become Roman Catholics and Anglicans (Pentecostal churches are less frequent, but growing). However, geographical distribution also conditioned religion. Roman Catholics predominate in the North and Western regions, where the percentage of Muslims was 8.5% and 4% respectively in the last Census. On the contrary, Iganga District (Central Uganda) and the East reached almost the amount of 20% of Muslims inhabitants.
Respect between these faiths apparently seems to be possible. Religious freedom is safeguarded by Ugandan Constitution, and both Christian (Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas) and Islamic (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha) festivities are officially recognized as holidays. Though, their coexistence does not seem to be exempt from tension.
According to the report “The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity” (conducted and published by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, on August 2012), 93% of the Muslims in Uganda think that their religion is “very important in their lives”. Similarly, 74% of Muslims believe that Quran should be taken in a literal way, which may lead some believers to adopt radical approaches.
The recent case of Umar Mulinde, a Muslim convert and now Pentecostal preacher, is one of the cases that illustrate this conflict. Mulinde, known for his strong criticism towards Islam, has convinced thousands of Muslims to join Christianity. On the Christmas Eve of 2011, some extremist Muslims threw acid to his face under the Arabic cry of “God is great”. The attack was considered a symptom of the interreligious disrespect in Uganda, as well as the lack of a true freedom of worship.
Conversion attempts by Christians and Muslims are the main reason behind the incidents. These have intensified in the last years, mainly due to public speeches where the speakers give their reasons for converting anyone from the audience. When claiming that the other religions are false, their contempt is fomenting interreligious hate.
Sowing discord in a minority community, whose creed is still being tested, could add a collateral damage to the existing conflicts: Islamophobia would knock down all the efforts to integrating Muslims in the sociopolitical life. While the Muslim graduates in the immediate post-independence where just two, the struggles in last decades have led to the creation of a higher number of schools. The Islamic University of Uganda has become the first private university in the country, encouraging many Muslim students to continue their studies. Since the education is any country’s engine, these achievements are expected to reduce the poverty in the community and increase the political presence.
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