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Ambassador Jan Sadek applauds Uganda for granting religious freedom

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The Ambassador-designate of the European Union Jan Sadek has applauded Uganda for granting religious freedom.

According to the 2014 Census, 39 percent of Ugandans are Roman Catholic, 32 percent Anglican, 11 percent Pentecostal Christian, and 14 percent Muslim, while other religious groups and those with no religious affiliation constitute five percent. Agnostics and atheists combined are only 0.2 percent. Thus, over 99 percent of Ugandans are affiliated with some religion.

Speaking during the annual event to mark International Day of Democracy in Uganda, Sadek said the widespread and varied religious practice speaks to the extent of religious freedom in Uganda. The Constitution of Uganda in Article 21 provides that no Ugandan should be discriminated against on the grounds of her or his religion or creed.

“Politics and religion should certainly not be put into a competition; both are fully needed in well-functioning societies. Nations and people need the moral compass provided by faith and hope, whether it is provided by religion or any other form of spirituality. But nations and people also need those political debates and an open political environment guaranteeing freedom of expression, of assembly and political participation of all,” he said.

He called for recognition of the wisdom of leaders who have been able to preach religious tolerance and freedom of belief as a way of promoting a multicultural environment and developing a sense of belonging to a nation. Uganda is certainly an example of a country where religious leaders have played this role.

Combating in an impartial way, all forms of religious intolerance, discrimination, and violence against persons based on religion or belief must be a priority for all states and for the international community. At the same time, religious leaders should ensure that their pastoralist role is kept separate from partisan politics.

Challenges exist in every country, and in Uganda Sadek said he is aware of reports that members of the Muslim faith have been unfairly targeted by security operations and that some faith-based organizations were affected when NGOs were suspended last year.

“The links between religion and democracy provide a fascinating ground for discussion. Ugandan history bears examples of the sometimes conflicting relations that exist between moral authority and political power. The tragedy of the Martyrs of Uganda is one of the key moments in Uganda’s history that certainly influenced rulers and people in the way they consider both the importance of religion and its relation to political power,” he said.

Jimmy Spire Ssetongo, a lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University said some religious leaders have remained critical and have been reminded by the government to stick to their work and not meddle in politics.

At the 16th Coronation anniversary of Omukama Solomon Gafabusa of Bunyoro in 2010, President Yoweri Museveni used the analogy of Olubimbi (digging allocations) to demonstrate that politicians, religious, and cultural leaders each have their role.

In a subtle threat, Museveni said that if one suddenly abandoned their lubimbi and crossed into another person’s, he/she could easily have his head cut off and become a casualty. “I have never baptized anyone, though I know how they baptize. I am a Christian but I do not baptize—that is not my role”, he added. Ironically, religious leaders who actively join the government side are welcomed with open hands and some are directly appointed into political positions.

“It is possible that, following the constant reminders to not trespass, out of fear, some religious leaders have in self-preservation decided to either tread very carefully, withdraw from politically sensitive matters, or operate on an evasive level of generality – such as in making blanket calls to all Ugandans to be fair to each other.”

Spire said there is also the awareness that being seen as a critic of government can come with other survival costs to religious institutions and individual leaders. Some religious leaders have raised concerns about spies being planted amongst them and divisions being sowed in their spaces in ‘divide and rule strategies.

“There is as well an emergent category of churches built around individuals. Without national and international structures, they know they are more vulnerable than their institutionalized colleagues. They can be very easy targets of state repression. Some of these have carefully studied aspects of existential desperation in the country and constructed their religiosity around those – poverty, relationship challenges, unemployment, disease, etc. With promises of spiritual and mystical intervention, they financially exploit their followers. Because the state can always find good reasons for closing them, such church leaders know that their security is either in aligning with government interests or remaining silent about government shortcomings.”

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