A devastating mob attack on 27 January 2019 in Makindye has left the family of one Nalumansi Suzan who is said to be practicing an African Traditional Religion homeless and shaken. The incident, which involved the destruction of their shrine and home, has sparked outrage and calls for justice amid rising religious tensions in the region.
Nalumansi and her 5 children have faced escalating threats and hostility in recent years. Her shrine, a
sacred site central to the family’s religious practices, was burned to the ground by a mob allegedly incited by a family relative, Lubwama Michael. The attackers reportedly accused the family of practicing
“backward” rituals and called for their ostracism from the community.
“This was not just our home but a sacred space for our beliefs,” said the mother. “We lost everything,
from artifacts to the memories tied to that space. It’s a wound that will take years to heal.”
According to eyewitnesses, the mob, consisting of approximately 20 individuals, descended on the
property in the late evening. Armed with torches and shouting inflammatory remarks, they set fire to the shrine and the adjoining house. The family, who narrowly escaped harm, watched helplessly as their property was consumed by flames.
“We saw flames engulf the shrine and heard the mob shouting threats,” said Gloria Ninsima a neighbor.
“The family had to flee for their lives. The fire burned everything in its path.”
The attack left the family displaced and traumatized. Her eldest son sustained injuries during an earlier
incident linked to the same ongoing dispute, which has been attributed to religious intolerance and a
protracted land conflict.
