Under normal circumstances in Kasese district, the Christmas vigil service sees churches fill beyond capacity.

Many of those who skip the midnight service end up in bars to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But December 24, 2016 was not a normal Christmas eve in a district still coming to terms with the November massacre of an estimated 100 people in the Rwenzururu king’s palace. Neither church nor bar seemed to have good business, according to a mini survey by this writer.

Ibanda Catholic church in Bugoye sub-county, which seats 500 people, celebrated its traditional ‘midnight mass’ but had just over 100 Christians on Saturday.
Parishioner Juliet Kugonza said residents were still scared after last month’s violence – not least because the police and army remain deployed in the outskirts of Kasese town.

“The army have issued a curfew here; people who move beyond 8pm risk being caned by the security people,” Kugonza said. “We thus remained in our homes to avoid any interface with the mean-looking force’s personnel.”

Christmas day was not much different. Whereas the churches were filled during day, the evening preaching by the Pentecostals that normally goes as late as 9pm at Ibanda-Kyanya town board ended as early as 6pm.

During mass at Ibanda Catholic church, the parish priest, Fr Toxton Ciriako Ajiga, had cautioned the congregation against “happening” at night which could put them at a collision course with cops.

“These people know no age, sex or profession,” the priest said. “If you want to dance, go dancing now (afternoon) so that when it gets dark, you go back home; otherwise, they will flog you.”

Bars and hotels were equally deserted, according to Jonathan Tosa, a bar manager at Eco-Gardens: “We shopped a lot of alcohol, but most people retreated to their homes by 8pm. The few who came would buy a few beers and take to their homes.”

In an earlier interview, Rwenzori East regional police spokesman Mansur Sowedi had insisted there was no curfew, but advised people to move with identification documents and cooperate with security personnel. “These police officers are human; when they stop you, don’t run away. Show them your identification and they will let you go,” he said.

But it would appear that most residents did not want to take any chances – not to bars, not to church.