Ugandans urged to vote peacefully, accept results

_______________

BUNYORO - Religious leaders in Bunyoro sub-region have urged Christians and voters to embrace love, unity and peaceful coexistence as they cast their votes during the 2026 general elections, warning against violence and divisive politics.

The Bishop Emeritus of Bunyoro Kitara Diocese, Nathan Kyamanywa, rallied voters to make informed choices based on service delivery rather than political party affiliations.

He said leadership should be judged by the ability to serve the people effectively.

“I am appealing to you to vote for leaders capable of delivering services and not to look at political parties’ affiliation,” Kyamanywa said.

Kyamanywa added that the Holy Bible guides the kind of leaders Christians should choose, noting that God-fearing leaders are more likely to promote peace and unity.

He further appealed to voters to maintain peace and calm during and after the elections to safeguard harmony in the region and the country at large.

The All Saints curate, Rev. Frank Asiimwe, asked Christians in leadership to lead with love, trust and sacrifice for the good of the people.

He said effective leadership requires faith in God, love for humanity and a willingness to sacrifice, because leadership authority is granted by God.

Asiimwe warned that a lack of love among Christians often fuels violence and leads to loss of life.

“Many leaders forget their responsibility to promote unity and peace once they are given power,” Asiimwe said.

He stressed that a society without God-fearing leaders lacks unity and love. He encouraged Christians to pray earnestly when choosing leaders so that God may guide them to elect leaders who are trustworthy, loving and committed to peace.

Bunyoro Kitara Diocese bishop Jacob Ateirweho called on the public to maintain peace as the country prepares for elections.

Bunyoro Kitara Diocese bishop Jacob Ateirweho.

Another Bishop Emeritus of Bunyoro Kitara Diocese, Samuel Kahuma, appealed to citizens to refrain from violence despite political during the 2026 general elections. He encouraged citizens to turn up in big numbers to elect their leaders, emphasising that maintaining peace during the electoral process is crucial for national stability and development.

Rev. Moses Kajura, the overseer of the Full Gospel Churches of Uganda in Bunyoro, emphasised that politics is not a do-or-die activity. He urged voters in the Albertine region to remain calm and uphold peace during the elections.

The district khadi of Bunyoro Muslim district, Sheikh Rajab Mugenyi, cautioned voters against electoral violence, warning that it could plunge the country into prolonged conflict and instability.

The district khadi of Bunyoro Muslim district, Sheikh Rajab Mugenyi.

He cited Sudan as an example, noting that many of its citizens are currently seeking refuge in Uganda due to insecurity. The bishop of Ankole Diocese, Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa, challenged the youth to actively work for unity, peace and harmony, particularly during the current election period.

“One of the biggest walls we face is division along cultural, political, ethnic, racial and economic lines, which is very dangerous for our nation. We must have unity of purpose and love for one another.”

Caroline Angolere, who leads the Karacuna peace movement in Karamoja, asked people to uphold the peace that was ushered in by the NRM government.

“Election is not a do or die, Karamoja and Uganda must remain peaceful during and after elections,” she said.

Uganda’s ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union, Rebecca Amuge Otengo, called on residents of northern Uganda to protect the peace and security attained after years of conflict, noting that meaningful development cannot be achieved without lasting stability.

Addressing residents of Abia sub-county at Abia Primary School in Alebtong, Otengo said the peace ushered in under President Yoweri Museveni should never be taken for granted.

“For the first time in our history, our people are living comfortably in their own homes. As a leader who emerged from the war, I understand the value of this peace,” Otengo said.

The Alebtong deputy resident district commissioner, Mathias Lubwama, commended residents for their continued support of President Museveni and urged them to turn up in large numbers to vote. He revealed that the President has endorsed plans to increase funding under the Parish Development Model from sh100m to sh200m per parish in the next financial year.

Teopelius Obua, the NRM flag bearer for Abia LC5 councillor, encouraged residents to vote for the ruling party, noting that Otengo’s previous service as district Woman MP continues to have a positive impact on the community.

Relatedly, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero, urged youth in the Bukedi sub-region to remain peaceful during polling day, warning that violence undermines both lives and development.

Addressing the media in Mbale city, Musenero said young people are often targeted by political parties and individuals to cause chaos before, during and after elections.

She noted that many youths have lost their lives in what she described as “useless protests.

Musenero challenged the youth to take the lead in promoting peaceful elections and to distance themselves from politicians or groups that lure them into violence.

She emphasised that leaders who preach the “gospel of violence” are enemies of peace and development.

NRM party flag-bearer aspirant for Kabweri constituency in Kibuku district, Dr Patrick Godfrey Wakida, said young people have a critical role to play in peace-building, especially during elections, both in their communities and institutions.

Wakida stressed that youth participation in democratic processes, including elections, is crucial to ensuring peaceful polls.

“They are the most energetic, and they can determine whether they will reject violence or not.”

Senior presidential advisor on health and population, Dr Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, urged Ugandans to cherish peace and unity in diversity.

“Recently, I was in Tanzania to monitor elections and the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, has a rigorous system of grooming leaders with a foresight of sustaining peace. We need to pick a leaf to ensure we live in harmony as a country,” she said.

Bishop Patrick Wakula of Central Busoga Diocese and Dorothy Kisaka, the former Kampala Capital City Authority executive director and opinion leader in Luuka district, also appealed to citizens to maintain peace so that development gains can be realised at both household and national levels.

Rwandan bishop comments

Nathan Amooti Rusengo, the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Kigali in Rwanda, said unity should be a top priority for Uganda.

He made the remarks while preaching to 3,309 youths who attended the Ankole Diocese 14th Annual Youth and Children’s Convention.

“My encouragement is that you elect the candidate you want, one you genuinely believe will do their best and respect other people’s opinions,” Rusengo said.

He reminded Ugandans that elections are not a one-time event, noting that many more will come in the future and urged citizens to remain law-abiding at all times.

Quoting Ephesians 2:14-17, he warned young people that divisions pose a serious danger to nations. He explained that when divisions grow, they lead to enmity and conflict within communities, citing the Rwandan genocide, which claimed tens of thousands of lives.

“We from Rwanda have experience from the 1994 genocide. We are still working through those divisions and enmities, and where we have reached today shows why young people must understand the pillars to avoid division, contemporary conflicts, and the devil.”