Mukono inter-faith leaders, Rwabogo preach peace before political aspirants

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Political aspirants have been urged to desist from fighting each other, and instead follow the legacy of loving neighbours as they love themselves, as bequeathed to mankind by Jesus Christ.

Odrek Rwabwogo addressed political aspirants from the Greater Mukono region, including those from Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga, and Buvuma, on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at Mukono Colline Hotel for a prayer breakfast. The event was organised by the Greater Mukono Inter-faith Forum (GMIF), a multi-denominational assembly of religious leaders subscribing to the Pentecostals, Born-Again, the Orthodox, the Catholics, Anglican, Muslims and Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) sects.

The spiritual leaders’ prayer breakfast was organised to bless aspirants at all levels, share ideas with politicians, spiritual and opinion leaders on how to conduct peaceful elections by avoiding hot verbal exchanges, inciting supporters to violence and other acts fraught with cause election-related unrest.

Rwabwogo hailed the religious leaders for being farsighted and thinking of an interaction geared at invoking God to give Ugandans peaceful elections, and educating voters on how to elect people of integrity and dignity.

He was sad to note that out in the Western world, no matter from which country an African comes from or the status they hold, 'people in those countries are sceptical about us, and attributed this to the negative picture we portray'.

He, therefore, advised that to fight the trend, those seeking political positions should start with clearing their names as good fathers and mothers in their own homes.

On behalf of Mukono Diocese bishop Enos Kitto Kagodo, Mukono Cathedral provost Can. Godfrey Ssengendo, appealed to fellow religious leaders to place Electoral Commission officials into God’s hands as well, so that they release justifiable results, saying that in some cases, different areas have received violence resulting from the poor handling of post-election procedures by the EC officials.

GMIF chairperson Bishop Samuel Lwandasa discarded as misplaced the act of unleashing terror and politically motivated violence on Ugandans, reasoning that because politics and humankind are both God’s gifts, they should not be used to confront each other.

He was sad to note that it is Ugandans themselves and not foreigners fighting to destroy their own country, and also reminded politicians that when violence erupts in their areas, it is people from within their voting areas being victimised and from whom they will be asking for votes in subsequent election rounds.

“You may find that over 10 people are vying for one post in an electoral area, and since only one of them is to be elected, should the nine feel justified to get into a war? As leaders, you should strive to build, not destroy,” Lwandasa said.

SDA leader pastor Christopher Sserunjogi cautioned the politicians not to misinterpret the prayer service to be an avenue of prophesying their individual victory ahead of the elections, but rather to bless them to conduct peaceful campaigns that will not culminate into violence.

Stressing the issue of respecting God as the final authority to name the leaders, Rev. Fr. Samuel Luwaga of the Orthodox Church reminded the aspirants that the Apostles of Jesus did not select themselves but were called by Jesus himself, and added that, likewise, God will select the next befitting leaders.

Mukono Resident District Commissioner, Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka, castigated aspirants feeding voters on lies of helping them to prosper when they (politicians) are themselves in dire need of prosperity and so have no capacity to develop communities.

Without mentioning names, Ndisaba attacked politicians who she said go out of their way to ask to be elected, and in the end fail to deliberate on issues of concern to their voters; she advised such people to examine their minds first and disqualify themselves when they realise they are incapable.

The prayer breakfast was attended by, among others; former Mukono Municipality Mayor, George Fred Kagimu (DP), Dr Sarah Daisy Ssonko (NRM), Allan Mawanda (DF), Sarah Nakintu (PFF), who are all vying for Mukono Municipality MP seat with intentions to unseat the incumbent, Betty Nambooze Bakireke (NUP), Stephen Ssemusu (independent) eying Mukono North parliamentary seat, Bill Tomusange (independent) vying for Lugazi Central Division chairperson, in Lugazi Municipality, Buikwe district, among others.