By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Uganda’s oldest political party, the Democratic Party (DP) has welcomed a letter by the Catholics Bishops on the fourteen (14) key concerns requiring urgency government attention in Uganda.
In their 15 paged pastoral letter titled, “The Truth Will Set You Free”, the Bishops expressed deep concerns about what they described as the “painful realities of our time,” including rising human torture, corruption, youth unemployment, abuse of power, environmental degradation, climate change, electoral violence and injustices.
The letter also highlighted growing cases of drug and alcohol abuse in the country, domestic violence, long and illegal detention of political prisoners without trial among others. The Bishops appealed to the government to confront growing political and social instabilities, warning that the country is “on the edge” and urging a return to values of justice, dialogue and moral integrity.
“The nation is on the edge. A change of direction is urgently needed,” said Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa, Chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference during the release of the 27th pastoral letter at Ugandan Catholic Secretariat Nsambya. “We are at a critical moment in our country’s history. If we do not act now, we risk plunging back into the kind of turmoil we hoped was behind us,” he added.
Responding to the letter, the DP Spokesperson Okoler Opio Lo Amanu said the letter is timely, especially as the country is headed to the 2025/26 elections. Okoler urged the government and other stakeholders to consider recommendations of the pastoral letter, stating that if ignored, the nation could be headed to the worst.
“We are happy this is coming from religious leaders, when religious leaders speak, we believe they are not partisan. Now that they have spoken, it’s our duty and responsibility as Ugandans to hold those in power accountable,” said Okoler.
The Democratic Party mouthpiece further challenged leaders to act upon the Bishop’s letter to curb down practices such as sectarianism, tribalism, injustices and promote unity, peace and accountability despite their political differences.
“It’s our responsibility as leaders to guide those that we lead, regardless of the disagreement in political opinion or otherwise. We should drop the disagreements, there should be no point that we shall fail to drop. That should be our message to the public,” he said.
“We shouldn’t let the guide us. If we let them guide us, then we shall fail. We shall have lost the gist of leadership. Being a leader means that you are able to see what others or you can see what others cannot see. Now, if we allow a chance for those one that have not yet to seen what we can see to dictate and guide us, definitely, we shall lead this country to trouble,” Okoler stated decrying religious and tribal fragmentations in the country.
The Bishops on the other hand underscores that the country should embrace truth, integrity, inclusion and national dialogue.
“We must avoid politics of fear and manipulation. Uganda belongs to all of us. The future of this nation depends on the choices we make today.” Bishops wrote.
