Eastern Religious leaders disagree on meeting Museveni

By David Oduut
 
A sharp disagreement has emerged among religious leaders in eastern Uganda following a decision by some of their colleagues to openly express support for President Yoweri Museveni 2016 presidential bid.

Last month, five religious leaders under their umbrella Inter-Religious Council of Uganda for eastern region wrote to president Museveni pledging support for his 2016 presidential bid.
 
“We religious leaders together with the members of our religious fraternities, Catholics, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Evangelicals and Muslims from 22 districts of Bugisu, Sebei, Teso and Bukedi sub regions  assure you of our supports in your 2016 presidential bid”, reads part of the letter.
 

The letter is jointly signed by Rev (Emeritus) Daniel Gimadu, the chairperson of Masaba Land Transformation Initiative on behalf of the Anglicans, Dr. Emmanuel Obbo, the Archbishop of Tororo catholic Archdiocese, Bishop Patrick Okabe, the Impact Ministries, the Representative of Pentecostal Churches and Sheikh Isa Ahmad Masaba, the Kadhi Bugisu Muslim District.
 
They five religious leaders pledge on behalf of 150 others in the sub region to continue sensitizing and mobilizing the masses to support Museveni's good leadership. They accordingly asked for audience with president Museveni to physically express their support.

In response, President Museveni, through his assistant private secretary in charge of Women Affairs Judith Apilo Ewichu welcomed the support.

He asked the religious leaders in the 22 districts in the religion to select at least 20 representatives to meet him as requested on a day yet to be arranged.


“These religious leaders wrote to president Museveni to offer their assurance to president Museveni and obviously he will meet them it is just a matter of time,”Ewicu said.
 
However, the letter has drawn protests from a section of other religious leaders. Some religious leaders distanced themselves from the decision in a meeting convened by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, the Peace, Justice and Governance Directorate at Wash and Will in Mbale today.
 
Rev. Samuel Egesa, the Bishop of Bukedi Diocese and Chairperson of the IRCU's Eastern Uganda Peace and Stability said he was not party to the decision. He argues that as religious leaders, they should remain non-partisan, impartial and independent as they exercise their pastoral role during the election period.

“As religious leader we should maintain one unshakable voice, impatrial and avoid political partisanship; this will strengthen our advocacy agenda as we shall not be biased either in favor of the incumbent or the opposition. Of necessity we should divorce ourselves form the company of those religious leaders who have chosen the path of political partisanship to work for change,” Egesa noted, adding that religious leaders should follow their divine calling and cardinal responsibility of being guardians to peaceful elections.

Rev. Ben Okiror of Justice and Peace Reconciliation- Soroti Diocese said those who signed the letter should be held responsible as their decision doesn't represent that of the religious leaders under Inter-Religious Council of Uganda.

“As inter religious council, our greatest emphasis is that we do not want to get into that bit, how religious leaders shall escape the words of the other candidates especially in the presidential race,” Okiror said.
 Rev. Canon Simon Aisu of Karamoja Diocese said the decision by these religious leaders compromises the integrity of the entire clergy in the region something he says is very wrong.

He noted that as religious leaders, they should continue to minister and provide guidance to all people irrespective of their different identities, ethnic, gender, political, religious or otherwise.
 
This he said is to avoid creating a wedge between their followers or under-mining their impartiality and independence.


Some of the resolutions recently passed by Inter Religious council Council of Uganda on their role before, during and after the 2016 elections state that religious leaders ‘shall remain non-partisan, impartial and independent as (they) exercise their prophetic role during the election period and uphold the values embedded in the National motto.’
 
Resolution five goes ahead to indicate that religious leaders shall ‘distance themselves from the company of those religious leaders who have chosen the path of political partisanship. This the statement indicates ‘to help avoid creating a wedge between followers or will undermine the impartiality and independence.
 
Inter-religious council came into the limelight in 2011 general elections. Under the umbrella of IRCU, the council put in place a task force on peace and conflict transformation to coordinate and strengthen religious leaders’ peace-building effort efforts throught the country.

It was charged with the responsibility to respond to current and potential challenges threatening the smooth preparations for the 2011 elections and the future political stability of the nation.