By Our Reporter
KAMPALA – Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President of Uganda, Fr Simon Lokodo says government has suspended registration of religious and faith-based organisations.
Speaking to Journalists over the weekend, Father Lokodo said they have “paralysed registration” until a “legal framework” is instituted to monitor operations of Churches.
“There is no legal framework to manage affairs of faith-based organisations. They are paying for registration but there is no mechanism for their supervision and monitoring. We have paralysed their registration,” Lokodo said, according to the Daily Monitor.
This development comes at a time about 50 pastors in Kampala resolved to petition the courts of law if government implements the proposed policy intended to “regulate activities of faith-based organisations.”
The group, led by Joseph Kabuleta of Watchman Ministries vowed to use mass sensitisation in Churches and engage MPs and concerned ministers to convince them to drop the policy.
“If the government goes ahead to implement the policy, we shall petition the constitutional court and the East African Court of Justice to intervene,” Born-again city lawyer Daniel Walyemera said.
If the peaceful strategy fails, the Pastors said, we will hit the streets and protest against the policy in line with Article 29 of the constitution of Uganda.
This Article guarantees the freedom to practise any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organisation in a manner consistent with this Constitution.
