Bishop Mwesigwa urges peace in homes, action on alcohol regulation

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The Bishop of Ankole Diocese and Dean of the Province of the Church of Uganda, Rt Rev. Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa, has urged Ugandans to prioritise peace in their homes and across the country, while calling for urgent regulation of alcohol brands, which he says are destroying lives.

Bishop Mwesigwa made the remarks while leading a New Year service at St James Cathedral, Ruharo, which attracted hundreds of Christians from across the diocese. He expressed concern over men who have neglected their responsibilities at home, challenging them to rise up and fulfil the roles entrusted to them by God.

Citing research conducted by Makerere University College of Humanities, Bishop Mwesigwa said that only five per cent of men fully look after their families, 45 per cent provide financial support but spend no time with their children, 10 per cent are unaware of their children, while 40 per cent know their children but have abandoned them. He said this trend would only change if men genuinely loved their families.

The bishop also challenged parents to write wills, saying this would help reduce disputes within families after their death. He called for faithfulness among married couples and urged them to commit their lives to Christ.



Bishop condemns the love of money

Quoting the Bible verse 1 Timothy 6:10, Bishop Mwesigwa called for urgent intervention to address what he described as the growing love of money, which he said is silently destroying the country. He warned that the pursuit of money has infiltrated all sectors, including politics, civil service and business.

“Everybody is hungry for money; failure to tame the love for money, you know, you have lost it all. I have seen many people who started with a lot of money but have been disappointed, and at the end, they fail to run their lives. Money is very dangerous,” Bishop Mwesigwa added.

He further condemned health workers who steal government drugs, saying such actions cost lives.

“There are doctors who steal drugs for people of HIV AIDS, how really can you start to imagine someone who has studied for 6 years and you steal medicine not remember the Oath you took to protect the lives of people and you ignore that and someone dies and you are happy with that without imagining how many dead people you have as a result of stealing government drugs,” he said.

Regulation of alcohol 

Earlier in his New Year message, Bishop Mwesigwa appealed to the government to regulate what he described as toxic alcohol brands flooding the Ugandan market. He said many of the alcohol products being consumed are causing serious harm and require urgent regulation.

The bishop expressed concern that registration services bureaus are not adequately scrutinising alcohol brands entering the market, noting that many unlicensed products are destroying lives.

“In Uganda averagely, every person is allotted 12 litres of alcohol, and the world average is about eight and Africans six litres, but Uganda is high, and we are number one in Africa; this is a crisis,” he stated.

He added that alcohol and drug abuse are contributing to rising mental health challenges in the country.

'Don’t commercialise politics'

Turning to the 2026 general elections, Bishop Mwesigwa appealed to Ugandans to vote for leaders with the capacity to articulate issues, lobby for services and represent their communities effectively. He warned against accepting money in exchange for votes.

“If you are godless and you don’t have any good heart in you of godliness, take the money given to you but vote someone who is right with the capacity to lead you and offer better legislation in Parliament, we have seen MPs who can’t form a sentence in English, MP who don’t even know simple mathematics, that’s a crisis,” he said.

Call for patriotism

The bishop also challenged Ugandans to love their country, dismissing claims that Uganda is a bad nation. He said the country has much to be proud of, including favourable weather, fertile soils, wildlife, tourism revenue, minerals, coffee exports and security.

“I always get troubled by many Ugandans who are so much into complaining about their country, Uganda. For me I normally see many things about Uganda, and I have written about them. Look at the weather, soils, the wildlife and the money from tourism we get, look at the minerals, look at coffee we are now leading, look at the security, look at the countries coming to Uganda for sanctuary, the refugees, I thank God for the good things that I see,” he stated.

He further urged Ugandans to thank God for bringing them into 2025, noting that many families have experienced marriage breakdowns, education disruptions and other hardships despite financial wealth.

Bishop Mwesigwa also urged the government to invest more in health education, observing that many people seek medical attention only when illnesses are advanced. He said early health checks could save lives and called for policies promoting screening for non-communicable diseases.

Dean outlines 2026 projects

Rev. Canon Bobs Nathan Mwesigye, the Dean of St James Cathedral, thanked Christians for supporting church projects. He revealed that planned projects for 2026 include completion of the cathedral spire at a cost of sh25 million and a water harvesting project costing sh67 million, among others.

He also reported that the diocese wedded 142 couples in 2025, alongside other achievements.