The public reacts to clergy on term limits

Jun 08, 2004

Religious leaders under the Uganda Joint Christian Council last week issued a statement advising the Government not to subject the issue of lifting term limits to a referendum and that President Museveni should respect the vow he made in 2001, to respect the constitution. thus, they called upon him

Fox Odoi, legal assistant, office of the President, “These are not spiritual matters.
Matters of leadership are not written anywhere in the bible or the 10 commandments. Religious leaders themselves do not have any wonderful democratic credentials to preach to the people. Religious leaders have a big influence over the population. It was because of such power that they were heavily involved in the genocide in Rwanda, where some of them are on trial at the moment. Let them do what they were taught to do.”
Salongo Saul Ssambwe, fishmonger, “My fear is the divisions their involvement can cause. I am a Catholic, but I don’t support their thinking. There are so many people like me in Uganda. I don’t even think religious leaders know how many people support the lifting of term limits and how many people don’t support it. They should have first investigated before making their statement.”
Kenneth Kakande, vice president UYD, “There is no way religious leaders can be dispensed from politics. The problem is that the Museveni government does not believe in religion. What the bishops said is not different from what the constitution is saying. They have a social role to say so. They have a moral role to guide the population, because what the government is about to do hinges on moral decay. The fear of the government is that the stand of the bishops will sway the population against lifting of term limits.”
Charles Buttazimbwe, driver, “Religious leaders have got a duty to defend the masses. I believe that they are the voices of God and through them, we receive His views. They suffer with us when wars break out. They are themselves victims of wars. Nobody should stop them from speaking about what hurts their people.”
Janat Mukwaya, justice and constitutional affairs minister, “It would be very wrong for religious leaders to oppose a constitutional amendment. This constitution was promulgated in 1995 and situations have changed. It should be noted, therefore, that since the constitution is not a rigid document, it can be amended as long as the procedures used are legal. What we are doing is to implement the wishes of the people as shown in the CRC report.
Karuhanga Chapaa, NDF President, “Religious leaders absolutely have a right to engage in positive political debate. Whenever Uganda has been in trouble, they have come out and suffered with the affected. I think that what the country and the government should be asking itself is why these people who supported the government a few years ago have now changed. Many of them are old people, they know that the bloodshed that has bedeviled Uganda was a result of one man who tampered with the Constitution in 1967. They don’t want to see this happen again.”
Margaret Namwanje, “I have been following politics for more than 30 years. During the late 70s and 80s, religious leaders were right to engage in politics. Idi Amin and Milton Obote, presidents of Uganda at the time, were killing Ugandans. Bishops had to come out and stop them. The difference now is that Museveni is not like those other presidents. The country is relatively peaceful. The majority of Ugandans still support him. Bishops should put this into consideration before trying to fight him.”
Pauline Nassuna, MUK “ Bishops are just adding their voices to others that have come out and opposed the referendum and the general political trend in the country. This is, of course, their right. If those in authority cannot listen to the highest voice of reason in the world, then posterity shall judge them not only on their wrongs while in power, but also their faith and morals.”
Mpimbaza Hashaka, RDC Nakawa, “Each of us has got a role to play. We should not enter into each other’s courtyards. I don’t think that religious leaders have the moral right to tell Ugandans what to do. In most of their activities, they behave like hypocrites. Their back yard is a tale of confusion and near collapse. They should concentrate on cleaning their dirt.”
Rev. (rtd) Sam Kizito, “I feel jittery whenever members of the religious folk start commenting about partisan political issues. Our message should instead hinge on unity, equality and peace for all, rather than division. When we take a partisan decision, we are in danger of dividing our flock. We should desist from such catastrophe.”
Sheikh Shaban Mubajje, Mufti, “I will never disclose my position on the Ekisanja, because I also personally don’t want any one to start questioning my kisanja. It is a right of every Muslim to decide his or her destiny,” he says.
Charles Musoke Sserunjogi, LC 3 Central Division, “It is now up to us to rise up and add to the voice of reason. Religious leaders are the voices of reason. They have a huge following, that I am sure is listening. All of us should now rise high and oppose the lifting of term limits.”
Nsaba Buturo, state minister for Information, “It is a comment which is very surprising, because where you have a whole country or where you have their followers holding a different opinion, such a statement is difficult to understand. Have they consulted God? Has he told them the plans he has for this country? What if his plan is to have term limits lifted? Then, who are the bishops speaking for? They should concentrate on the moral nourishment of their sheep.”
Steven Ssenfuma, teacher, “Religious leaders are right to engage in political talk, but they should avoid being partisan. They should not say that people should vote for this or that side. They should instead say that politics should not be a theatre of war and conflict.” They should preach peace for all.”
Ends

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