Set Besigye free, bishops tell govt

Bishop Kaggwa said since the time for elections had ended, there was no need to keep Dr Besigye in detention. “We must work towards uniting the people of our country,” Bishop Kaggwa said while celebrating Easter Day Mass at Kitovu Cathedral yesterday.

Delivering his Easter Sunday message at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala, Church of Uganda Archbishop Stanley Ntagali also called for talks and the immediate release of Dr Besigye. He also asked believers to pray for the people in the Rwenzori region. “Let us pray for Dr Besigye who is under house arrest such that he is freed by government,” Archbishop Ntagali said.

In a related development, Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop Johnson Gakumba has said only talks between President Museveni and Dr Besigye can calm down the post-election tension that has gripped the nation. “If I were President Museveni, I would talk with Dr Besigye. This will help move this nation forward,” Bishop Gakumba said.

The bishop was delivering his sermon to Christians who turned up for Easter Sunday service at Christ Church in Gulu Municipality.
Dr Besigye has been under house arrest since the February 18, general elections and police have defended the actions as intended to prevent crime. Police chief Kale Kayihura has repeatedly said the security agencies would not vacate Dr Besigye’s home in Kasangati until he denounces his “defiance campaign.”

This has been interpreted as a plan to rally citizens to a mass uprising in protest of what he termed as election rigging which subverts the will of the people.

The Electoral Commission declared president Museveni (NRM) as winner of the presidential elections with 60.62 per cent (5,971,872 60 votes) and Dr Besigye (FDC) as runner up with 35.61 per cent (3,508,687 votes). The total votes cast was 10,329,131 and valid votes cast were 9,851,812.

Former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi filed an election petition against President Museveni. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver it’s ruling this Thursday.

Bishop Gakumba said when dialogue is initiated for all former presidential candidates, they would share a cup of tea, brainstorm on the plans in their manifestos and pick the best ideas to be implemented for the benefit of the country.

About the violence going on in Kasese and Bundibugyo districts, Bishop Kaggwa advised government to handle the matter in a more mature way that would defuse the inherent anger among people in the two districts.

He urged the newly elected leaders in all positions of responsibility in Rwenzori region to work towards uniting their people regardless of whether someone voted them or not.

The same message was delivered by Namirembe Diocese Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira who asked Christians to offer special prayers for the Rwenzori sub-region. “As we celebrate this Easter, let us send prayers to people of Bundibugyo, and Kasese so that the risen Christ can restore calmness,” Bishop Luwalira said.

To date, the cause of the unrest is not known but police have pointed the accusing finger at the traditional institutions in the region. However, parliamentary and local leaders blame politics of divisionism among the ethnicities. The Bakonzo King, Mr Charles Wesley Mumbere, has refuted accusation of fueling the conflict just as did Col (rtd) Martin Kamya (Bamba King).

The post-election violence that broke out in Rwenzori region has left more than 10 people dead in Kasese District and more than 20 others in Bundibugyo District.

Bishop Luwalira also asked Christians to pray for people of Buliisa District, where a storm destroyed homes and killed more than 20 people.

Similarly, the Anglican priests in Masaka District preached reconciliation if the country is to heal from the wounds inflicted by political and social mistakes.

“Our country is filled with political, social, economic and emotional injustices that are neither beneficial to the country nor even those that intend to gain from them by suppressing others, because the hostilities that arise from such acts endanger the country as a whole,” Canon Guster Nsereko, the archdeacon of St Johns Church in Kijjabwemi, said.

Early this month, Members of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda revealed plans to mediate between Dr Besigye and President Museveni.

There is apprehension in the country caused by the continued deployment of soldiers and policemen on the streets of Kampala and major towns since February 18.

Gulu Diocese Archbishop John Baptist Odama said the clergy would continue pursuing dialogue as a way to achieve peace.

Ntungamo
The Bishop of South Ankole Diocese, Nathan Ahimbisibwe, expressed concern over increasing violence in the country. Giving the Easter Sunday sermon at St Mathew Cathedral Kyamate and speaking earlier in the morning on a local radio station [Radio Ankore], Bishop Ahimbisibwe said there was a strong need for prayer and courage for truthfulness to have total stability in the country.

At All Saints Catholic Parish, the parish priest, the Rev Fr Denis Richard Sebugwawo, cautioned Christians against complacency and thinking that Jesus dying on the Cross was a licence for them to commit sin.

Mbarara
The Bishop of Ankole Diocese, Sheldon Mwesigwa, challenged leaders of the Anglican faith to work hard and reverse the trend of losing followers to other religions.

While preaching to the congregation during the Easter Service at St James Cathedral Ruharo yesterday, Bishop Mwesigwa said census results on the distribution of the population in the various faiths published in Sunday Monitor are worrying. “As Church of Uganda, we have to be on our guard. Our percentage point decline is 4.7 while for Catholics it is 2.3. We have to think hard,” he said.

The National Population and Hosing Census carried out in 2014 shows that Anglicans reduced from 36.7 percent in 2002 to 32 per cent. Uganda has 34.6 million people.

Catholics, who stood at 41.6 per cent in 2002 and are now at 39.3 per cent.

Muslims increased to 13.7 per cent in 2014 from 12.4 per cent in 2002 and the Pentecostals have gone up to 11.1 per cent from 4.7 percent.

Easter Messages from Mbale

Religious leaders in Mbale used Easter messages to emphasise the need for peace and reconciliation in the country.

During the Easter services at various churches in Mbale, religious leaders urged political leaders to work for peace, development and unity for the good of the country.

Mbale Diocese Bishop Patrick Gidudu, while delivering his Easter sermon at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale Municipality under the theme: Know your identity, said peace, unity and forgiveness are important to all. “We must commit ourselves to the path of respect, dialogue and reconciliation,” said Bishop Gidudu.

He told a large congregation that Easter is for renewal and asked Christians to pray for the people of Kasese and Bundigyo where there is bloodletting and post-election violence.

He said the recent general election were marred by violence and that the Electoral Commission has so many disputes to settle but that above all “we need to forgive each other and forge ahead in unity.”

“It is going to be the duty of every Ugandan to ensure we have a peaceful reign from 2016 to 2021. Peace cannot be bought but we must participate in having It,” said Bishop Gidudu.

At St Austin’s Catholic Church, the Rev Fr Buchana Kisoga, stressed the need for unity to create harmony, adding that unity is a fundamental pillar that holds human race together and the country at large.

“Christ is hope and comfort to the Christian communities suffering most for their faith on account of discrimination and persecution. And he is present as a force of hope through his Church, which is close to all human situations of suffering and injustice,” said Rev Fr Kisoga.

By Julius Ocungi, John Okot, Ali Mambule, Martins E. Ssekweyama, Joseph Kato, Perez Rumanzi, Felix Warom Okello, Scovin Iceta, David Mafabi, Fred Wambede, Olivier Mukaaya, Carol Namono, Rebecca Kabuya, & Alfred
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