Ali, Muca (B)

Muca Ali was the First Anglican convert to Christianity in Acoli and an outstanding church leaders. He was taught by a Munyoro evangelist, Yohana Kurusura, and baptized by the Rev. (later Bishop) A. L. Kitching at Keyo in 1905. This meant sending away his second wife, and he therefore met strong opposition from his clan and took refuge at the mission. When the missionaries left in 1908 he continued to witness as a Christian, and was severely beaten up by his clan for refusing to build an abila (spirit shrine). He supported the Banyoro Christian teachers when they came from Acoli in 1909, giving them hospitality and teaching them the language. In 1913 he moved to the new CMS station when this was reestablished near Gulu. He became a member of the Church Council, was a faithful preacher and teacher, and friend of Sira Dongo. He travelled widely in Acoli and Lango supervising church teachers and preaching. He died suddenly in 1929 when on safari just before he was to have been ordained deacon.

Louise Pirouet

This article, used by permission, was written by Louise Pirouet, as part of A Dictionary of Christianity in Uganda (Department of Religious Studies, Makerere University College, 1969), p. 17. Copies available at Africana Section, Makerere University Library (AF Q 276.761 MAK and AR/MAK/99/1); Bishop Tucker Library, Uganda Christian University and in UK at the University of Birmingham; Crowther Centre Library, CMS Oxford and Louise Pirouet Papers, Cambridge Centre of African Studies.