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Archbishop Kaziimba tasks 11th Parliament on killings
Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba prays for Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah (2nd right) and other MPs at the Anglican Martyrs shrine in Namugongo yesterday. PHOTO | STEPHEN OTAGE
What you need to know:
- While praying for a section of MPs, including Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, during Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations at the Anglican shrine in Namugongo, Archbishop Kaziimba urged them to make a difference in society.
Church of Uganda Archbishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba yesterday tasked the recently sworn-in 11th Parliament to investigate and conclude all pending murder cases in the country.
While praying for a section of MPs, including Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, during Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations at the Anglican shrine in Namugongo, Archbishop Kaziimba urged them to make a difference in society.
“God will use you together with the team that you will be chairing to pass laws that will help our country, especially to fight a lot of immorality and moral decadence that has seen the killing of our people,” he told Mr Oulanyah and team.
“We pray that when we have such issues, you should have investigations done and reports read to Ugandans for accountability,” the prelate added.
His plea comes two days after unknown assailants shot and injured the outgoing Works minister, Gen Katumba Wamala, leaving his daughter, Brenda Nantongo, and driver Haruna Kayondo dead.
Some other high profile murder cases, whose investigations remain pending to date, include that of Joan Kagezi, a state prosecutor (2015), and that of former police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi in 2017.
According to the police’s Annual Crime and Traffic Safety report for 2020, 850 murder cases were not investigated despite the Force having enough evidence to prosecute suspects.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Kaziimba urged Christians to contribute towards the payment of a Shs60b loan obtained from Equity Bank for the construction of Church House in Kampala.
“The campaign is beginning on June 6 and I just need one million Ugandans, each contributing Shs60,000, and we raise the Shs60b. Please join the campaign and we save our Church,” he added.
Speaker Oulanyah pledged Shs100m towards the cause, which he said he will pay over six months.
At the same function, President Museveni, in a speech read by Dr John Mitala, the head of Public Service, decried the rampant corruption and political defiance in the country, and warned that his government will not tolerate such actions.
“Let me take this opportunity to decry increasing social ills of corruption, defiance and social diversionary teaching by political elements. The NRM government hates such actions and shall not tolerate such. We stand for universal push to transform our nation,” Mr Museveni said in his speech.
He also said the government is currently working with the Muslim leadership to profile their martyrs who were killed because of their faith. The President committed to redevelop the Muslims martyrs’ sites in Namugongo.
Namirembe Diocese Bishop Wilberforce Luwalira, the preacher of the day, said corruption, nepotism and tribalism are killing Ugandans like cancer.
“Also remember the rampant killings in this country yet God is teaching us about life in its fullness,” he said, adding: “Why are we failing to contain these killings yet the martyrs stood their ground and faced their tormentors?”
BACKGROUND
His plea comes two days after unknown assailants shot and injured the outgoing Works minister, Gen Katumba Wamala, leaving his daughter, Brenda Nantongo, and driver Haruna Kayongo dead. Some other high profile murders cases, whose investigations remain pending to date, include that of Joan Kagezi, a state prosecutor (2015), and that of former police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi in 2017.
