Residents of Kiggungu ward, Entebbe Municipality and the entire catholic faith fraternity learnt with total shock the arson act executed to the historic Mapeera church.
On the night of Thursday, 7th November 2024, unknown people set ablaze the church in which valuable items as the Chalice, Paten, Ciborium, communion cups, cruets, pall, purificator, paschal candle, altar clothes, deacon stole, hole cross, and clothes for the priests and choir all got burnt beyond repair.
Besides the items burnt beyond remain, the wardrobe where the items were also got damaged and the glass window.
It is believed that the fire broke out at around 10:00 PM and the smoke from the shore-line located sanctuary of God alerted the people who came out to rescue and put down the fire using water and water.
Church and political leaders have come out to vehemently condemn the barbaric act as evil and demonic after ruling out other possibilities of fire outbreaks as electricity.
“The act to burn the church is evil and demonic act” John Ndugga, an area councilor sighed.
“You cannot imagine where the world is headed with such heartless acts” Ndugga echoed aloud.
Entebbe Division B Chairman Hon. Richard Ssekyondo was equally bitter by the act of burning the church and its property.
“It is yet to be established the exact motive of the attacks on the church. This is regrettable” Ssekyondo told the media.
“We urge for an immediate investigation into this act starting with the two camera systems nearby; one camera opposite the church and another on the radar end of Entebbe international airport which are inter-linked. As leaders, we strongly condemn such an act. The criminals are already in the court of God and soon, justice will be revealed.” Ssekyondo who also chairs the Peace and Justice committee on the Entebbe Vicarate added.
A teary Vivian Annet Nabusobba, the head of Christians at the Mapeera church expressed her plight towards the jealousy souls.
“How on earth can you attack the church? Where is the respect? This is very a saddening and whoever did this should be punished” Nabusooba added with grin.
This is the second act to this very church in a space of four years after unknown people broke and looted the church in 2021.
The Catholic Church in general and the police are yet to release an official statement on the attack.
The Mapeera Church owes its founding to the first two missionaries, Simeon Lourdel also known as Mapeera and brother Delmas Amans (Amansi) who came to Uganda at Kiggungu, Entebbe Division B on 17th February 1879.
These two missionaries are believed to have taught religion to the 22 Uganda Martyrs.
The Mapeera Church is situated on the spot where Lourdel and Brother Amans first set foot in Uganda.
Today, the church has its half encroached by the swelling levels of Lake Victoria waters.
