The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has warned Ugandans that politicians are not worth dying for. His warning comes barely a month to the 2021 general elections which will be held starting from January 14th.
As the political temperatures and campaigns shoot up, the country has witnessed gross violations of human rights, shootings and tear gassing of opposition leaders. In the recent riots which advanced from the arrest and detaining of the National Unity Platform (NUP) Presidential candidate, Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert aka Bobi Wine, over 52 people lost their lives and more sustained injuries.
“We need to also recognize that politicians are not worth dying for. Politicians can’t die for the sins of the world. So don’t put your life on the line for them! Only Jesus died for the sins of the world. Only Jesus is worth following to the point of death,” he said.
He urged Ugandans to decline from being manipulated by the shallow promises of politicians or to get overly excited by campaigns or to expect a human politician to be your personal saviour. “Study the issues and people deeply and seriously, and then vote your conscience. Don’t sell your soul for cheap promises,” he said.
He warned that the fighting and the violence in the presidential campaigns needs to stop and urged Christians to exercise their electoral responsibilities of voting and making their voices heard in the public square.
“I want to remind you that as religious leaders we have already met with the Electoral Commission, the Police, and several political candidates. We have urged all of them to exercise restraint and to promote the values of civility and respect in the way campaigns are handled,” he said.
He urged the Electoral Commission to guard the integrity and objectivity of the electoral process so that it is above reproach and can never be accused of favoring one candidate above another.
The archbishop used the opportunity to send Christmas messages to the people of Uganda and the rest of the world.
“I send warm Christmas greetings to President Yoweri Museveni, Maama Janet and their entire family and all government leaders, candidates contesting in elections, Bishops and their wives, the Clergy, Lay Readers and Christians of the Church of Uganda. I also send my sincere greetings, along with prayers for a blessed Christmas for our Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal brethren, and all those who have looked in hope for the coming of the One who is the Saviour of the world, Jesus the Christ.”
He announced the Church of Uganda theme for next year 2021; ‘Life in its Fullness’ derived from Jesus’ words in John 10.10, where he says, “I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.”
He called for a change of mindsets to reduce gender-based violence and value the lives of fellow Ugandans by observing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of #Covid-19.
