A cross section of faith leaders, activists and politicians in Uganda challenge legality of closure of places of worship amid Covid-19. PICTURED: Alice Alaso (2nd right) together with Dr Zedriga Lina Waru and others addressing the media on Wednesday (PHOTO/Courtesy).
Uganda’s Constitutional Court has given the Attorney General 10 days to respond to a petition challenging the continued closure of places of worship by the government.
Dated 6 September, 2021, the notice signed by the registra, Constitutional Court, indicates that should Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka fail to file the answer before the date above mentioned, the petitioners who include Kiganda Michael, Evelyne Naikoba, Dr Zedriga Lina Waru, Hom Alice Alaso, Hon Ronald Balimwezo Nsibuga, Semakula Asuman Lule and Bishop Mugabbi Livingstone, may proceed with the petition which may be determined in his absence,.
Through their lawyers at Cymbell Advocates, the petitioners on 31st of August 2021 asked the Constitutional Court to declare Rules 11 and 13 of the Public Health (Control of Covid-19) Rules, S.I No. 38 of 2021 unconstitutional.
They explained that the rules gave legal effect to the President’s declarations in his speeches on June 18th and July 31st suspending the operation of places of worship and the holding of prayers in public spaces.
The petitioners contend that the continued lockdown of places of worship under these rules while other public spaces continue to operate is in contravention of Articles 21, 29(1)(c), 45 and 286 of the 1995 Constitution.
Addressing members of the press this week at Hotel Triangle in Kampala, one of the petitioners Dr Zedriga Lina, stated that the values of religion “lie in being one’s self and practicing it.”
Another petitioner, Alice Alaso of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) asserted that the continued closure of places of worship is “an outright attempt by the president to regulate who and how people worship.”
Alaso stated that the increasing cases of murder like the ones happening in greater Masaka and other parts of the country require divine intervention through national prayers, but unfortunately places of worship remain closed as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Where is the report that the places of worship are super spreaders? We need to pray to God now more than ever before. The wickedness and what we see in Masaka are issues we need to kneel before God,” she remarked.
Nakawa East MP Balimwezo Nsubuga said: “It is important we think about the role of churches in society. They have from the word go, been respecting SOPs, religious leaders are gifted as they can tell people what to do and they believe them.
“People are dying in houses because there is no counselling. We want the court to put pressure on the government to see the opening of churches. Freedom to worship as a right is embedded in the constitution. We need to open churches to tame behaviour,” he added.
Evelyn Naikoba, who is also listed among the petitioners, said “we are challenging the discriminatory treatment given to places of worship that is why we are in constitutional court.”
“What we see is a crackdown on religious institutions and COVID-19 just presented an opportune time to do this,” she said.
“We shall not remain calm and normal in an abnormal situation,” Prophet Micheal Kiganda, of Glory to Glory Church Bugoloobi stated in a subsequent update online.
