Religious leaders call for calm

Sep 12, 2009

RELIGIOUS leaders have called for calm in the face of the ongoing violence that has rocked Kampala and spread to neighbouring districts.

By Barbara Among

RELIGIOUS leaders have called for calm in the face of the ongoing violence that has rocked Kampala and spread to neighbouring districts.

The Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, made the appeal yesterday on behalf of the 300 religious leaders gathered at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb.

“As religious leaders we deeply regret and are ashamed of the current violence. We call for calm and dialogue in view of promoting dialogue, reconciliation and peace,” said Lwanga.

“Violence breeds violence, resulting into death of not only the people but the nation,” added Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama.

The religious leaders were speaking at a three-day conference on sustainable national reconciliation, justice and peace.

The meeting also called on those carrying out the violence to desist from doing so, saying they are sabotaging the peaceful development in the country.

Violence erupted in several parts of the city on Thursday, following the barring of the prime minister of the kingdom from entering Kayunga town, ahead of the contested visit of the King of Buganda.

The meeting agreed to bring together the two warring parties and to include calls for peace and reconciliation in church summons.
The meeting yesterday also agreed to mediate between the central government and the kingdom.

A team of religious leaders is slated to meet the President today to forge a way forward. They met the prime minister of Buganda, John Baptist Walusimbi yesterday.

Walusimbi, who was present at the conference, appealed to the youth in Buganda to remain calm and desist from violence.

“We don’t solve a conflict by confrontation but by peaceful approach to the problem.”

While briefing the religious leaders on the stand-off, Walusimbi however said a group of lumpens had taken advantage of the situation to loot and cause havoc.

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