By Spy Uganda
The shooting of Muslim clerics has resumed a few years after it had stopped.
Currently, the Police in Bugiri District, in Eastern Uganda, are hunting for an unidentified armed assassin who shot and killed a popular imam in Bugiri town, on Friday eventing.Â
Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) Asuman Basalirwa revealed that Sheikh Masudi Mutumba was shot dead at his home in Busimba village, lwemba parish, lwemba sub-county at around 9:45pm.
The information police have is that one person armed with a gun went to his home, pretending to be a visitor, called him out and shot him dead at point blank range.
However, another source said Sheikh Mutumba was seated outside his house, chatting with his wife who was in the kitchen preparing supper when the assailant shot him several times.
The Police are still hunting for the assailant, who fled the scene shortly after committing the murder.
The Busoga East police spokesperson, James Mubi, confirmed the shooting but declined to divulge more details and revealed that the police are still conducting investigations.
Bugiri Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Martin Mugabi said police are on ground and investigation are ongoing to nab the culprits.Â
“It’s very unfortunate but l call upon all Ugandans to be vigilant and give us information which can lead to arrest of the killer,” Mugabi said .
He added that the security team will do all what it takes to bring the culprits to book.
But it should be noted that Sheikh Mutumba is not the only Muslim Cleric who has been shot dead.
Several others have in the recent past murdered in cold blood by assassins who trail them for days until they execute the murders. Here is a list of some Muslim Clerics who have been shot dead in the past few years:
November 26, 2016
Maj. Sheikh Mohammed Kiggundu,He was one of the former commanders of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) but at time of his murder he had defected to the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF). Maj. Kiggundu was the husband of popular traditional herbalist Sofia Namutebi aka Mama Fina.
April 20, 2012
Sheikh Abdul Karim Sentamu, a prominent Muslim scholar, was gunned down on William Street, Kampala moments after he left a mosque on the same road. His death caused outrage in the Muslim community and police vowed to hunt down the killers.
June 22, 2012
Abubaker Kiweewa was shot dead by unknown assailants at 9:00pm on Friday night within the premises of his Prime Supermarket in Kyanja, a city suburb.
December 25, 2014Abdul Kadir Muwaya, the Shiite leader popularly known as Dakhtur, was gunned down on Christmas Day at his home in Mayuge District. He was killed at around 9:30pm.
December 28, 2014
Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga was shot dead at Bwebajja Mosque on Entebbe Road. He was shot five times; three bullets in the left limb, one on the head and another in the stomach as he was going for Ishae prayer (the last prayer of the day).
Sheikh Abdulrashid Wafula
He was Imam of Bilal Mosque in Mbale Town, who was gunned down at around 9:00pm outside the gate of his home in Kireka Village, Nakaloke Town Council, Mbale District.
June 30, 2015
Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya was shot dead by unknown assailants riding on a bodaboda motorcycle in Bweyogerere, Wakiso District. He was on his way home and had made a stopover to buy some passion fruits when the incident happened.
Three other people were wounded during the incident. However, Sheikh Kirya had earlier informed police that he feared for his life after a number of his colleagues were killed in related incidents by unknown assailants.
It should be noted that the killers later outed a hit-list of all the people who are to be shot dead, among them Kampala Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago, Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s brother Prince Passim Nakibinge, pluse several other prominent Ugandans.
