The state minister for lands in the Cabinet of Uganda, Persis Namuganza has told Journalists Religious Leaders need to stay away from matters regarding Arua chaos that saw Bobi Wine and 33 others tortured and detained, sparking violent clashes between police and protesters.
Namuganza told a State-linked news broadcaster on Wednesday if religious leaders have started investigating how tension rose on the eve of Arua municipality parliamentary by-election,” what will police, the army and other security organs like ISO commissioned for crime investigation do?”
Namuganza insisted Church leaders should not get mired into such matters but instead pray and fast for the country.
“They have not gone to Arua to pray and ask God to settle the storm in order for the country to progress forward in peace,” she said.
Bobi Wine, who has been in detention since August 15, was on Thursday charged with treason after a military court withdrew a weapons charge against him.
The legislator, wearing a Ugandan flag scarf around his neck, was seen walking out of court while being assisted on crutches during a brief adjournment on Thursday morning.
The Uganda joint Christian Council (UJCC) earlier this week said there are many unanswered questions regarding the violence witnessed during the Arua Municipality by-elections and insisted that government should institute an independent commission to investigate circumstances that led to the chaos and the events that followed including the arrest of Hon Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
The joint Christian Council condemned attacks on media and urged that suspects should be granted access to medical attention of their choice and that the Uganda People’s Police Force should explain how Hon Kyagulanyi’s driver was gunned down and Hon Zaake battered.
“The truth regarding what sparked off the violence on the eve of the Arua Municipality constituency by-election can only be established by an independent panel of inquiry established by the parliament of Uganda or through a judicial process presided over by the ordinary courts of law,” Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Constatine Mbonabingi, the Executive Secretary of the Uganda Joint Christian Council said during a presser on Tuesday at the organisation headquarters.
“At the moment we are dealing with allegations and counter allegations and there are very many unanswered questions. For example; who hurled the stone which allegedly damaged one of the vehicles in the presidential motorcade – and who witnessed the alleged hurling of the stone? Has the alleged culprit been arrested and if not, why? Under what circumstances was the driver of Kyagulanyi shot? These questions call for honest answers,” Mbonabingi added.
Regarding the same matter, another body, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda condemned violence and hooliganism associated with electioneering and said it is unfortunate that in a country whose national motto is “For God and My Country,” people with different political orientations cannot tolerate each other!
“We should all remember that violence begets violence and it is ultimately a lose-lose situation for all parties,” the Council said in a statement.
“Ensure that the members of parliament, their supporters and other persons arrested during the Arua electioneering are treated with dignity in accordance with their rights and that they access justice through open courts of law,” the organisation added.
