Unidentified thieves have broken into the Mpambire Parish Catholic Church in Kayabwe sub-county, Kyotera District, stealing all church instruments, valuables, and an undisclosed amount of money from the alms boxes.

This incident happened on December 20, 2024, in the wee hours of the morning, and the items that were stolen include a public address system, sound equipment, and various musical instruments.

The Head of Laity of Mpambire Parish Catholic Church, Emmanuel Mutunzi, revealed that the Masaka diocese has registered repeated incidents involving unknown thugs who have raided and robbed churches in the different parishes, leaving the parishioners and priests concerned.

Mutunzi added that in all these incidents, the thieves have taken away hard-earned valuables that are significant in the church prayers and worship sessions, which properties are lost without any trace.

”We bought the stolen instruments with a lot of money, and now this has set us back significantly.” Mutunzi stated. “The loss will not only affect the church’s operations but also the community’s spiritual activities.”

A catechist at Misojjo sub-parish Church, Katimba Parish, in Sembabule district, Edward Kimbugwe, said these robbery incidents have caused a lot of discomfort among the congregation and priests, wondering about the actions of the criminal gangs that are targeting places of worship.

According to Kimbugwe, the targeted parishes have been robbed in almost a similar manner where thugs force themselves into these churches, before accessing the sacristy (the most sacred space in the Church) and stealing money found in alms boxes.

’’These thugs could be members of the congregations that attend church mass, which allows them to study the setup of the churches and accordingly plan the robberies,’’ Kimbugwe said.

In 2024, Masaka Diocese has faced a troubling increase in church break-ins, causing significant distress among parishioners and clergy. Multiple incidents have been reported across various parishes, with thieves targeting sacred spaces and stealing valuable items.

On April 9, 2024, thieves broke into the Misojjo Sub Parish Church in Katimba Parish, Sembabule District, stealing a new public address system, generator, sound system, and choir uniforms.

This incident is part of a series of robberies that have plagued the diocese recently.