Africa-Press – Uganda. I have just read somewhere that some concerned citizens have decided to go to the East African Court of Justice to open a case against the government of Uganda for deliberately and maliciously violating the religious freedoms. I then remembered what has always troubled my heart concerning the perception our political leaders have developed about faith in God and religion altogether.
Every time our President chooses to talk about religion, he uses a sarcastic and sardonic tone. He draws a loose understanding from his catechetical lessons that God is in all places meanwhile completely failing to understand the importance of places of worship, Christian fellowship and Holy Sacraments. I don’t understand why he doesn’t think religion is anyhow important in our society though he humourously says one of his daughters is a “bishop”.
I first thought it is a normal procedure to prevent the spreading of the Covid-19 pandemic until I heard one of the ruling party government officials, an RDC to be specific, criticising the religious establishments for always talking ill against the government. Then I have come to understand that the closure of places of worship is largely political; Covid prevention is just an excuse.
Maybe we need to reason together: How does a place that opens once a week with organised people spread the disease than arcades operating everyday and public transport vehicles with people from different locations to different destinations? Where is the reasoning? I think those running to the courts of law have a good case but I fear it may not yield much. All we need is for our leaders to see the light, to feel the touch of God and to understand that they need Him in all they set out to do and achieve.
Why not treat religious gatherings like other functions? Weddings are taking place, burials are going on and by the way with numbers much bigger than expected as per the directive. The same religious leaders attend these gatherings. Why not allow them to organise similar gatherings in places of worship even with strict observance of the SOPs?
But what is clear is this: a nation that forsakes God is also forsaken. And ungodly leaders attract punishments to the people they lead.
Rev Bernard MugabiirweSouth Ankole Diocese
