By Male Marvin
BULANBULI – Shakira Wanyenze, a 31-year-old former Muslim woman from Buyaga town council, Bulambuli district in eastern Uganda, received death threats from her husband after she embraced Christ as her personal Lord and Saviour.
The mother of four children between the ages of 5 and 9, only managed to keep her faith a secret from her husband, Ismail Kawanguzi till Nov. 30 when he came home to find her praying with her children.
“My husband arrived home at around 8 p.m. on the 30th and heard me concluding the prayers using the name of Jesus,” she told Christian Persecution Watchdog, Morning Star News.
“When he interrogated me to give reasons why I was using the name of Jesus, I kept quiet,” she added.
Shakira Wanyenze became born-again on June 17, 2018 during her visit to a close relative in Kampala who shared the message of salvation with her.
The relative, also a former muslim (names withheld for security reasons) told her she had put her trust in Christ for her salvation, and after a discussion that lasted late into the night, Wanyenze decided to do the same.
“I was prayed for that night and had an overwhelming peace after accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior,” Wanyenze told Morning Star News.
He new found faith came as an offence to the husband who after night she was found praying with the children attacked the following morning.
He took a large wooden board and struck my hand, causing two fingers to bleed, she said.
“I fell down, and he started to strangle me,” Wanyenze told Morning Star News.
“Fortunately, neighbors arrived and rescued me and took me to a clinic at Buyaga town council for treatment, and I was discharged after two days.”
The neighbor who took her to the hospital then took her to a church pastor (name undisclosed by source for security reasons). The neighbor was later shocked to hear that Wanyenze’s husband had purchased a coffin, and rumors spread that he was planning to kill his wife. The neighbor took their four children to the church site.
The pastor has since received threatening messages from Kawanguzi, such as, “If you continue housing my wife in your house, then let it be known to you that soon I will be coming for your head,” the church leader told Morning Star News.
“Apart from such threats to my life, I am also concerned about my church,” the pastor added. “Please, we need prayer from God to give us direction on how to handle this delicate situation and the support for the young family of Kawanguzi, especially the young innocent children.”
