A Ugandan woman was beaten unconscious by her husband for attending a church service. The incident occurred on the 18th of September, according to a report on the Morning Star News.
The victim was 21-year-old Fatuma Baluka, who was recently wed to Hussein Kasolo. Baluka's father happens to be an Islamic leader in a village inhabited largely by Muslims. The wedding between Kasolo and Baluka had apparently been conducted discreetly, for certain 'security' reasons, at Budaka district in Eastern Uganda.
"When I arrived home, my husband shouted at me as an 'infidel,' and then and there started hitting me with a metallic object," the victim revealed while speaking to Morning Star News. "I fell down, only to find myself in a hospital bed,"
She was ultimately rescued by her neighbours, who found her bleeding from injuries inflicted upon her head and leg. The neighbours had her admitted to Budaka District Hospital, from where she was discharged on the 22nd of September. An anonymous resident told the online publication, "We found Baluka unconscious, and we were able to overpower the husband's brutal attack."
The distraught victim stated, "I have become an enemy to my husband, and my parents will not receive me either just for attending the church. I feel disowned and helpless."
Reports indicate that she, along with a female friend, visited the church, whose pastor revealed that she had become a Christian. She was among those prayed for in the church service.
She also reportedly confessed to feeling convicted in her heart that she was a sinful lady, and that immediately after being prayed over, felt a heavy burden rolled away.
"She is now being discipled to be rooted in the Christian faith," the pastor stated. According to his testimony, Baluka is currently a refugee at a site removed from her home. He added that prayer would help her heal emotionally and physically.
Statistics suggest that nearly 85% of Uganda's total population is comprised of Christians, while 11% are Muslim. While the country's constitution allows for freedom of religion, inclusive of the right to propagate one's faith and to convert from one faith to another, Christians in Eastern Uganda, which is primarily inhabited by Muslims, suffer from continuous attacks.