ARE NATIONAL PRAYERS IN UGANDA A RITUAL?

ARE NATIONAL PRAYERS IN UGANDA A RITUAL? WHAT PURPOSE DO THEY SERVE? ARE THE ORGANIZERS MOCKING GOD?

Friday, July 29, 2022 at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and the Inter Religious Council (IRCU) are to hold: The Inspectorate National Interdenominational Prayers against Corruption. They selected the theme: “Putting God at the Centre of the war against corruption”.

I really wonder whether Ugandans in Government who plan the National Prayers do it just as a ritual, because they are not serious.

We are aware that COSASE for example is probing funds which were paid to the wrong people when Hon. Betty Kamya was Minister of Lands. Hon. Kamya told the Committee that she was instructed by the President. To date, Betty Kamya has not produced evidence to the effect that she received instructions from the President. The correct thing to do would be that she leaves the office of IGG until the time she is cleared. The question is: Where does Betty Kamya get the moral authority to organize National Interdenominational Prayers as IGG when she is not cleared of her role in the corruption that took place in the Land Ministry under her hand?

The theme for the day is: “Putting God at the Centre of the war against corruption”. Given this theme, I am wondering whether the Christians of Kigezi Diocese were not corrupt in demanding for another vehicle from the President when he had donated one in May 2022 when Rt. Rev. Gaddie Akanjuni was Consecrated Bishop of Kigezi Diocese. We all know that Kigezi has a number of well to do Ugandans with connections. These men and women of God had the obligation of fundraising to get their Bishop a vehicle that can manage the Kigezi terrain, instead they resorted to complaining to the President about the gift he gave! This is where the Church has gone wrong. What the Christians of Kigezi did was an act of corruption. The Church is supposed to check the State, and here they are in the same bed!

On the eve of the Interdenominational Prayers, Ugandans were shocked to learn of what went on before the by elections in Soroti East Constituency: The arrest of the Agents of the FDC Candidate, Break - in and arresting people at a Hon. Member of Parliament’s home; having vehicles without number plates moving around in Soroti; Voter bribery using cash to have the NRM Candidate voted; ferrying of people who are not voters in the area to vote; pre - ticked ballots that were stuffed in the ballot boxes; intimidation of voters and arrests of supporters of the opposition candidates. These were all done under the NRM hand. Now, where does the IGG’s office which is also an arm of the NRM Government get the moral authority to organize the prayers?

A lot of wrong and ungodly things are going on in Uganda. We are not seeing the Inter Religious Council of Uganda come up with Press Releases and making effort to meet those in power to address the ills in Uganda.

IRCU members are aware of the very difficult situation their members are going through. These have not got audience with the President or Prime Minister with options to see their members enjoy decent livelihood. Instead we are seeing people die of hunger, others killing themselves, children dropping out of school because parents cannot afford fees and others dying simply because they cannot afford treatment of whatever they are suffering from.

National Prayers should cease being a ritual. The organizers should not mock God. They should organize them and implement them with clean hands. Otherwise, we are seeing a ritual in form of National Prayers that happen without viable outcome expected because those who organize them don’t practice what they preach.