Fr. Johannes Häfliger O.S.B baptising at Kigonsera. The 1870-born Swiss celebrated his monastic profession at St.Ottilien in 1892, was sent to the East-African missions in 1895 and arrived in Peramiho on November 23rd, 1898 being the third missionary there. In 1901 he was transferred to the neighbouring mission of Kigonsera. 1906 he baptised most of the captive lords of the Wangoni at their request. Afterwards he became a resolute defender of the African populace against the colonialists' arbitrariness. Maybe he was not acting very wisely when he slapped the policeman in his face and when he forcefully liberated his pupil being marched off to forced labour. He thus provided the governour with a reason to demand his removal in 1907. But can we blame a priest for fighting against injustice out of love for his congregation ?
In 1923 he was able to return to Africa, being superior at Kigonsera from that year until 1934. In 1946 he retired to Peramiho, where he died in 1955. He wrote a grammar of Kimatengo, the language of Kigonsera region.

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