Hi Michael , the bird is definitely a Cisticola. Either Wailing Cisticola or Levaillant's. Both have Rufous crown and marked back and occur in the area that you photographed it. The Wailing has a streaked back as in your first photograph and that would be my choice.
The Cisticolas are very difficult to positively identify, for me at least, and one often needs the call and display flight to make sure.