Low turnout in Fort Portal as churches resume prayers

Christians at St Peter's Bukwali Church of Uganda turned up in low numbers as churches reopened for prayers for the first time since they were closed in March.

The first service, the English one, started at exactly 7:00am and ended at 8:30am with all standard operating procedures (SOPS) having been observed.

Every person entering the church had to have a mask on and wash their hands first.

They then had their temperature taken and their name recorded in a book. 

The congregation was small with most of the seats being empty. The priest, Gabriel Murozi, said few people turned up because many were not sure whether churches were going to reopen, adding that he had received many phone calls from Christians asking about the opening of churches.

He said each service lasted only one hour.

At Bukwali Catholic Parish, Richard Mugisa, the chairperson of the church's centre, said they failed to raise money to buy some of the requirements such as the temperature gun and the book for registration since all the money that was on the church's accounts before the closing of churches was spent during the lockdown.

He said they spent money on slashing and maintaining the compound, upkeep for priests.

He said they would soon start collecting money to buy the required equipment.