Uganda so messed that clergy feel safer with guns than God, says Bobi Wine

A flurry of conspiracy theories on architects of the Pastor Aloysius Bugingo shooting incident filtered social media on Friday, while Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi denounced urban crime and use of deadly gunfire in the East African country.

“Our country is so messed up that some 'men and women of God' feel safer with soldiers and guns other than the presence of God," Bobi Wine outcried as he reacted to the apparent Tuesday evening fatal shooting police say targeted the outspoken Pentecostal church minister.

The apparent attack, which claimed Bugingo’s driver bodyguard belonging to the presidential guard, has been followed by more questions than answers, per Friday dailies front pages.

“They struggle to appease those in power instead of appeasing the almighty God. What a shame! I also hope it (shooting incident) reminds all those used by the dictator against their own people,” Bobi Wine remarked about two days after pastors in central Uganda called on the presidency to heighten their security in the wake of likely attacks.

“In a lawless country, no one is safe! We must never wait for such crimes to happen to us or our loved ones before we speak out,” he added.

Still on Friday, Bobi Wine offered sympathies to the self-confessed controversial supporter of President Museveni and his powerful first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

“Although Pastor Bugingo has been very hateful towards us and our struggle for a better country, I want to encourage all of us to pray for him at this time,” Bobi Wine wrote on microblogging app X.

“Maybe God gave him another chance so as to open his eyes to the realities in our country…For him to see what exactly we are fighting for! We must have the courage to return love where there is hate,” he added.

Bobi Wine also urged the controversial clergyman to “use his life to glorify God and not men, and to hate the devil.”

“When we complain and demand that our country is governed better, that guns are not in wrong hands, that crimes are investigated, etc... regime apologists claim we're simply doing politics, until they're the victims!!! So many examples have been given in the past, but unfortunately, they never learn!”

As Ugandans, including Gen Muhoozi, raged at authorities in the aftermath of the attack, police on Thursday pledged to expedite a probe into the presumed assault.

“We are still reviewing the CCTV footage right from his workplace in Lungujja up to the route where he was attacked and this will help police to establish whether he was trailed or not,” Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire told Monitor.

In his 2023 ender national address, President Museveni maintained that “Uganda was safe enough.”