Watchman Ministries founder, Joseph Kabuleta. (Courtesy Photo.)
An online petition calling on the Ugandan government to revoke the proposed RFBOs policy has hit 1000 signatures, in less than 5 days.
The petition, started by The Watchman Ministries, began to rapidly gain signatures over the course of this week, following the draft Policy which was released in July 2019 showing how the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity seeks to regulate the operations of Pastors and the “very many mush-rooming churches” in Uganda.
The petition challenging Uganda’s proposed RFBOs policy on change.org reached 1065 signatures as of 16th August, 2019 (13:36 EAT). (Photo: Screen grab)
According to The Watchman Ministries, the Policy “is being disguised as an antidote for extreme and wayward practices among religious leaders, particularly pastors, but in reality it is a move by government to exercise control over all manner of religious expression and worship across all denominations.”
“The proposed policy flies in the face of freedom of worship, conscience and association as enshrined in our constitution and other International Conventions to which Uganda is a party,” The petition claims.
The Watchman Ministries revealed that implementation of the RFBO policy will be done by a committee composed of the District RDC as the Chairman, the Chief Administrative Officer as the Secretary, Community Development Officer, District Internal Security Officer and a Representative of the RFBOs in the District.
“The above mentioned committee is constituted of majorly political appointees who may not be conversant with spiritual matters and are therefore ill-equipped to monitor RFBOs,” The petition author said.
“That creates a dangerous political influence that could likely cause a violation of the right to a fair hearing seeing as the adjudicators are not necessarily independent.” The Ministries added. “It is my recommendation that the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity runs a sensitization policy on the existing penal laws which adequately deal with the issues the RFBO Policy and Bill purport to address in order to avoid duplication of laws.
Simon Ssenyonga, a lawyer with Crownel Co. on Friday said whereas under clause 7 (a)(i) the Policy purports to be premised on the guiding principle of Non-discrimination, “we believe that it is very discriminatory in nature.”
“Moreover, the Policy has ignored to mention other existing Religions in Uganda like the Mormons, Rastafarians, Bahai and Buddhists. Will they be regulated as well?” Ssenyonga said in a statement released by Crownel Co.
“The Policy repetitively talks about manipulation and exploitation of followers, which begs the question – who will be the determinant of manipulation and exploitation? Will it be an individual member of the flock, or a “concerned busybody” or the state itself? This, to us, is a sneaky way of the State attempting to put in place parameters of how far worshippers can go in their benevolence, which is in itself a curtail on religious freedom,” he continued.
Recently, traditionalists in Uganda requested to join the Inter Religious Council, as they consider their belief system to be a religion.
Mr Ssenyonga in his submission wondered if government will approve the establishment of a college that trains Traditionalists, should they join the Religious Council since under clause 4(iv), the Policy highlights the “necessity” for all leaders to be trained as a solution to the ongoing highlighted issues.
“The policy in its entirety does not create an appeal mechanism especially if a specific RFBO is disgruntled by a decision made by the institutional bodies that will have decisive powers over the functioning and operations of the religious organisations,” Mr Ssenyonga said.
In his remarks on the policy earlier, presiding Apostle of the Born Again Faith Dr Joseph Serwadda said only a formidable legal system can “cause order in Uganda’s religious chaos.”
“If the opponents of this arrangement succeed in convincing Government to drop the idea of a legislation for RFBOs, then so be it. The State is justified to put in place a legislation to allow those law a binding citizens to enjoy their religious freedom, to wade off detractors and plan well for the future generation. This law may not have immediate benefits, for those who care for only the now, but the future generation is secure and bright. And for that, they have my prayer and support,” Dr Joseph Serwadda said.
Earlier this year, a similar bill was fronted in Parliament by John Baptist Nambeshe, MP for Manjiya County in Bududa district, and was thrown out by Legislators. At the time, Kiira Municipality MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda referred to it as “the Satanic Bill”.
