{UAH} UMSC suffers Collateral damage in lives andProperty.

Continuation of the series on history of UMSC Ranches, Fourth part.  UMSC suffers Collateral damage in lives and Property.

By 1978, Ugandan political dissidents in conjunction with the late Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and other Western Powers had scaled up military preparations towards ejecting Gen. Amin from State power.

As part of their war strategy, they approached various Christian establishments especially the mainstream Catholic and Anglican clergy who had long detested the growth of Islam. They viewed the formation of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council as a threat as several members of their flock started embracing Islam. As a result, the Church Leaders resorted instilling hatred and discord among their flock against Islam and Muslims in general.

The Church leaders also authored many  Anti-Islamic literature such as "I love Idi Amin," penned by the late Rt. Rev Festo Kivengere  then the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese. In this book, Kivengere claimed  that on his royal visit to Uganda in 1972, His Majesty King Feisal Bin Abdu Aziiz Al Soudi of Saudi Arabia presented to President Amin a gift in form of golden sword that was implying the forceful Islamization of all Ugandans"

The hate propaganda tickled down to ordinary masses especially Christians. When Tanzanian forces managed to break through the defense lines of Amin's soldiers, a unit of Ugandan dissidents under the command of the late Edward Rurangaranga, a prominent UPC Stalwart in Ankole was assigned to take on the western axis covering Districts in Ankole, Toro and Bunyoro.

Rurangaranga made an infamous statement at an Anti-Amin rally in Bushenyi saying Ttwatema Omuti Mwiheho Amashanju" literally meaning that "We have managed to cut the big tree (read Amin) so it is your turn to chop off the branches (Muslims)". Rurangaranga  argued Christians to revenge on Muslims for the wrong acts committed by Amin.

The masses received the message and organized hit squads targeting their Muslim neighbors and relatives.  That marked the beginning of the indiscriminate killing of Muslims across the country. Children, women, the elderly and disabled became legitimate targets for annihilation.

To continue ….

Zziwa Ashiraf

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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)

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