Several people were injured on Tuesday morning following clashes between Muslims and Christians in Yumbe Municipality over plans to open a pork joint in the predominantly Muslim area.
Police fired live bullets to disperse a group of Muslim protesters led by Sheikh Kasim, a well-known community member and driver, who had mobilised residents to demonstrate against the rumoured establishment of the eatery.
Videos circulating on social media show police officers firing in the air as protesters scatter, while photos of a man bleeding profusely from gunshot wounds have sparked outrage and concern among residents.
According to eyewitnesses, tension began building early in the day after word spread that a Christian businessman planned to set up a pork restaurant in a section of town close to a mosque.
Protesters argued that such a move was provocative and disregarded the community’s religious beliefs. Sheikh Kasim, who led the protest, said his group was standing up for “respect of Islamic and cultural values,” insisting that introducing pork businesses in Muslim-majority areas would “breed unnecessary conflict.”
However, some district leaders accused him of inciting unrest and interfering with what they described as a legitimate business activity, stressing that Uganda’s constitution guarantees freedom of trade and religion.
Yumbe district is overwhelmingly Muslim, and tensions over issues related to pork consumption and trade have occasionally flared in the past. The prime minister of Aringa kingdom, Fadhil Lemeriga Kujo, condemned the violence as “uncharacteristic and deeply regrettable,” calling for restraint and dialogue between the two religious groups.
“Aringa kingdom has endured many challenges, from the Turko-Egyptian period to hosting South Sudanese refugees, but such religious violence is unprecedented,” Kujo said.
He noted that the kingdom, home to a rich tapestry of faiths and institutions, including the Lodonga Basilica, the Anglican headquarters at Eleke, and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council offices in Yumbe, has long been a symbol of religious coexistence.
Kujo urged the Interreligious Council of Uganda to urgently convene talks between Muslim and Christian leaders to defuse tensions and foster mutual respect. He also appealed to security forces to exercise restraint in handling protests, warning that excessive force could inflame the situation further.
“Aringa land belongs to all of us, and we must continue to live in peace and tolerance.”
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