Government has refuted claims that it is against Church addressing political matters in the country.
They however insist that some religious leaders are partisan – and that the few want to impose their individual views as for the whole Clergy.
The Minister of Information, Mr Frank Tumwebaze was yesterday addressing journalists in regard to comments by Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, who earlier warned that clashes between Church and the state could plunge Uganda back into its ugly past.
“There is no doubt that the two complement each other and the record of the NRM government to recognize, support and work with the different faith denominations is unprecedented in the history of our country,” Mr Tumwebaze said “The only issue of concern is when the church through its pulpit is used by partisan activists to target and malign one political entity while lending support and credence to another.
“I know many religious leaders who feel offended when some of their colleagues openly join the partisan podiums and still want to impose their individual views as for the whole clergy,” He continued.
Mr Tumwebaze told journalists, “by stretching into politics, the church was overstepping its clerical mandate and causing division in the country.”
Since the controversial age limit bill, now law, came to the public domain, there has been an ongoing exchange between political and religious leaders.
Clergy accused legislatures of not listening to their opinion, nor of the constituencies they represent.
In President Museveni’s new year address, he called some religious leaders arrogant, and that others had lost focus.
“Some of our religious people are so full of arrogance. They talk most authoritatively on all and everything even when they have not bothered to find out the truth. This is assuming they do not have evil intentions which would be worse. That would make them into the Kayaffas, the Chief Priest, that betrayed Jesus”, Museveni said then.
editor@ugchristiannews.com
