The Archbishops led Christians to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus by observing the Ecumenical Way of the Cross from the residence of Bishop Luwalira and around St. Paul’s Cathedral on Namirembe Hill. This journey is annually commemorated on Good Friday, a day observed during the Holy Week preceding Easter Sunday when Jesus resurrected.
The COU Archbishop Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and others during the Ecumenical Public Way of the Cross. Photo by Olive Nakatudde.
Religious leaders under the Uganda Joint Christian
Council-UJCC have expressed displeasure about the ongoing abuse of human rights
especially the murder of Ugandans across the country.
The leaders including the Church of Uganda –COU Archbishop
Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese Dr. Cyprian
Kizito Lwanga and the Bishop of Namirembe Diocese Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira
today led Christians to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
These observed the Ecumenical Public Way of the
Cross from the residence of Bishop Luwalira and around St. Paul’s Cathedral on
Namirembe Hill. This journey is annually commemorated on Good Friday, a day
observed during the Holy Week preceding Easter Sunday when Jesus resurrected.
In his sermon to a socially distanced gathering due
to the Covid-19 pandemic, Archbishop Kaziimba said that there is need for Ugandans
to value life from today onwards.
“Those who are killing others…it is not really going
to benefit them because after killing someone, you also eventually die. Land
grabbing…you can grab it, even church land but one day you will die and only be
provided a small piece for burial purposes,” said Dr. Kaziimba.
He added that the Lent period and Easter is time for
reconciliation and that everyone should ensure that there is healing and peace in
the nation in regard to corruption and health services provided in hospitals.
//Cue in: “Jesus never cried…
Cue out:…your people free.”//
In his remarks on behalf of UJCC, Archbishop Lwanga
said that as shepherds and senior citizens of the country, they are deeply
concerned about the actions of some security personnel in relation to the ongoing
disappearance of people especially the youth.
He said: “This is brewing anger, division, fear and anxiety
within the population and totally contravenes the human rights frameworks to
which we are signatory as a country. We are troubled that the disregard of
these God given rights and freedoms shall weaken our social fiber of harmony,
social cohesion and responsive leadership.”
Lwanga also noted actions of some Ugandans who have
been killing innocent people. He cited the case of Musa Musasizi, the prime suspect in murder of four Kasubi
women and a three months old baby.
The women identified
as Viola Kansiime, Noreen Nabirye, Mclean Ahereza and Elizabeth Mutesi were
killed and burnt on four separate days by Musasizi. Kansiime, Mutesi and
Nabirye were burnt in Kasubi near Buganda royal tombs while Ahereza’s body was
burnt in Nateete.
Musasizi reportedly confessed to
Crime Intelligence, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence –CMI, Police and
detectives that he killed all the women and a baby. He claims to have picked the victims from
Makerere, Kivuulu and strangled them after having sexual intercourse with them
at his rented house in Nakulabye.
Lwanga appealed to
Ugandans to respect life and all other human rights.
English //Cue in: “we
have also…
Cue out:…at all
levels.”//
Luganda Cue in: “ebizibu
byonna…
Cue out:…emirimu
gyaffe.”//
He also noted that religious
leaders are called upon to strengthen the spiritual and moral fiber of the
nation so that everybody lives in obedience to God.
“Shun violence,
hatred and all other forms of immorality; we also call to lead by good example
and sow seeds of justice and peace and awaken society whenever it deviates from
these ideals,” said Lwanga.
The religious leaders also say that they are greatly
concerned with matters of peace and consensus building, conflict
transformation, mediation, negotiation, democracy and good governance in the
country.
Bishop Luwalira said that they could not gather last
year on Good Friday due to the lockdown occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. He
said that there is need for Ugandans to continue observing the Covid-19
Standard Operating Procedures –SOPs even when the government has partly lifted
the lockdown that has enabled them converge in a small number to observe this year’s
Good Friday.
Luganda //Cue in: “tetwelabila…
Cue out:…okukola.”//
The Public Way of the Cross is a worldwide prayer
practice which brings Christians from different denominations together joint witnesses, symbolizing Christ’s victory over death.
