Police probe fire inside historic Catholic church in Uganda

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango has revealed that police are investigating a case of attempted arson in the fire that burnt part of Kigungu Mapeera Catholic Sub Parish on Thursday night.

“We are submitting samples we took to the forensic laboratory in Naguru [Kampala] for analysis as investigations continue. It seems somebody attempted to burn down the church,” he told this newspaper in a telephone interview on Saturday.

Mr Onyango added that no suspects had so far been arrested over the incident. He urged any person aggrieved by the church to seek lawful resolutions.

“We appeal to people who have any grudge against the church to follow the right procedure by going to courts of law instead of taking the law into their hands,” he said.

Catholic faithful and residents at Kigungu Landing Site were left in shock and disbelief after unknown people set fire on the church at night.

The head of laity at the church, Ms Annet Bibiyana Nabusoba, while speaking to media last Friday, said the fire that started at around 10:30pm burnt cupboards near the alter that held the Holy Communion, and the priests and alter boy’s attires worth millions of shillings.

“It was still early, the residents who were around raised an alarm shouting that the Church had caught fire, by the time I reached, I found the catechist who had already got the information had opened the church and was putting out the fire with the help of some youths,” she said.

Ms Nabusobo said it wasn’t yet clear why the culprits tried to burn down the church which was built by the Catholic Church in Uganda in memory of Rev Fr Simon Lourdel Mapeera and Bro Delmas Amans, the first Catholic missionaries to come to Uganda on February 17, 1879 to introduce the faith.

The catechist, Mr David Katongole, said he was alerted about the fire by a one Emma who knocked at his door as he was preparing to have his supper.

“I first hesitated to open the door, but I did so after and he told me the church had caught fire, and we should go and see what was happening, I then ran out with him and saw the fire burning inside the church,” he said.

Mr Katongole added: “I then went back inside and got hold of the church keys. We then ran to the church while I held my open shoes in my hands. I was able to open it and together with a few people, we got jerrycans and began pouring water on the fire to put it out.”

The cleric said one of the youths, who helped to put out the fire, said he had seen an individual inside the church with what looked like a candle but didn’t pay much attention.

Local authority

The chairperson of Entebbe Division B, Mr Richard Sekyondo, who is also the secretary for peace and justice in Bugonga Parish, under which Mapeera Church falls, said they were still baffled at what could have caused the fire since there aren’t any known disputes involving the church.

“We called the police in the morning which sent a team that searched the church and retrieved samples of the burnt items, broken windows glasses, among other things, to help in their investigations. 

The church doesn’t have so many things that could have caused the fire, the electricity socket is on the opposite side of the church, which wasn’t affected and the cable is always removed at night,” he said.