In Summary
These vehicles do not belong to bishops; they belong to the congregations. Bishops are meant to coordinate, and promote socio-economic activities which have a political bearing on the life of Christians. They, therefore, need financial support from government
Allow me to point out a few issues regarding some religious leaders advocating for the removal of President Museveni under the guise of fighting oppression and corruption in the country. It is true that religious leaders have a stake in Uganda’s politics because the Church is the custodian of faith and human values yet in many instances worldwide, religious leaders have become sources and causes of conflict and divisive politics.
The genocide in Rwanda was partly engineered by some religious leaders and Islamic militant group, al-Shabaab, is a wing of religious fundamentalism. The religious wars between Catholics and Protestants in Uganda in the 1890s also contributed towards political instability in Uganda.
As reported in Daily Monitor of February 19, Bishop Zac Niringiye, Fr Gaetano Batanyenda and others have strongly sounded a call to Ugandans with the following words: “We call upon all Ugandans to know that the path they are treading has been trodden before and if God did not forget Uganda in the tumultuous times of Idi Amin, He surely will not forget Uganda in this time, when we see the dark clouds of oppression forming a storm over our beloved motherland.” This statement is a result of biased and uncontrolled sentiments.
Comparing the regimes of Amin and Museveni is either an intellectual arrogance or sheer ignorance. Those who lived during Amin’s regime and today know that this is an unfortunate assertion.
The call is premised on the notion that President Museveni has overstayed in power and should, therefore, leave. It is not based on the fight against corruption and oppression but removal of President Museveni from power.
I would like to assure fellow clergymen and countrymen that Museveni is not the cause of corruption in Uganda; corruption is a “mindset” of corrupt individuals which President Museveni does not control.
If Museveni is responsible for corruption in Uganda, then Bishop Niringiye and Fr Batanyenda are partly responsible for corruption in the Church. Take, for instance, cases in the Church where incumbent bishops lobby for who should succeed them when they retire. Some religious leaders promote favouritism/nepotism at the expense of individual merit.
What have the clergymen done to stop infighting among the clerics in higher positions in an institution that is meant to set the standards for clean leadership based on individual merit? Is President Museveni the cause of corruption in our churches?
The religious leaders are meant to pray for political leadership unceasingly and provide them with good counsel instead of fighting, criticising or cursing them. I suggest that Bishop Niringiye and Fr Batanyenda should seek elective office of a president and compete with President Museveni in the upcoming elections like Bishop Abel Muzorewa of Zimbabwe or Bishop Makarios of Cyprus who contested and lost.
Calling for “regime change’’ to replace President Museveni with another political leader will not in any way stop corruption both in the church and government unless God intervenes. As religious leaders, we should cultivate “righteous anger” like Jesus whose anger lasts for a short time and his favour abides forever (Psalm 30:5).
Instead participating in the Black Monday movement campaign where Bishop Niringiye and other civil society members wear black shirts on Mondays claiming they are mourning for beloved Uganda, the good bishop should change his strategy and instead provide a platform for continuous prayer and counselling of corrupt religious and political leaders every Monday.
The clergymen further cautioned that “receiving car donations make leaders afraid of criticising the President and corruption in the government. Many of our fellow religious leaders have not lived up to their mandate as church leaders; they just enjoy Pajeros given to them by the President when fellow believers are suffering.”
To me, this is being selfish and unfair to the President who must support both religious and political activities in the country.
These vehicles do not belong to bishops; they belong to the congregations. Bishops are meant to coordinate, and promote socio-economic activities which have a political bearing on the life of Christians. They, therefore, need financial support from government.
Besides, the Church leadership and Christians always request assistance in form of a vehicle from the President, especially for new bishops to begin their pastoral ministry because our churches are poor.
Throughout the scriptures, the Lord proclaims an ever present truth about his nature. He is slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness (Ex 34:6). He tells us plainly that a few righteous people scattered in a city can preserve that area from divine wrath.
Abraham interceded for his own people and pressed God’s mercy towards its limits. Abraham bargained with God until he finally secured the Lord’s promise not to destroy the city of Sodom, if he could find just 10 righteous people there. How about our country? If God would spare sinful Sodom for the sake of 10 godly people who dwelt within it, what about when religious leaders – retired and active – unite in prayer and intercession for our beloved country?
If we are not praying for our elected officials, the least we can do is to stop cursing them. As it is written, “you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people’’ (Acts 23:5). Religious leaders must become a source of redemptive intercession for imperfect leaders who sin.