LIRA-Government has commenced a stakeholders’ consultative meeting to seek public views on the new religious policy intended to phase out the untrained pastors following numerous complaints about their conduct.
The religious policy dubbed “The National Religious and Faith Based Organisations [RFBOs]Policy” seeks to provide standard guidelines on starting new churches and phasing out untrained pastors.
Addressing northern Uganda Anglican Bishops in a consultative meeting held on Sunday at the Diocese of West Lango, Rose Lilly Akello, the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity said the new policy intends to regulate faith-based organisations from exploiting the citizens.
“Whereas government is aware of the vital roles played by the churches, members of the public are facing a lot of challenges from some religious organisations including manipulation, exploitation, loss of lives and properties, promotion of witchcraft, family breakdown, noise pollution and promotion of immorality among others,” she said.
“Many untrained preachers and self-styled “prophets” have been at the center of extorting their followers to enrich themselves, a person can just wake up today and open up a church without values, we need the Theological education for the pastors, the priest, and the reverend not just to open up a church because you want to do a business, “she added.
According to Akello, government is currently meeting stakeholders to get their views on the new policy before it is taken to cabinet and consequently to parliament for debate.
“We are trying to meet all stakeholders on how to bring the policy. Now we are in Northern Uganda to meet all the Anglican bishops in northern Uganda, we shall go to eastern, western, Karamoja, and central Uganda to collect the views from all the stakeholders, “she said.
Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, the Bishop of Lango Diocese, welcomed the new policy. Olwa said, “We needed this policy yesterday, there are many other good things that the religious and faith-based organisations are doing but there is a mess somewhere, the new policy I believe will put things right.”
The Very Reverend Canon Vincent Ogwang, the Dean of St. Peter’s Cathedral Church in the Diocese of West Lango believes the new policy once approved will restore sanity without curtailing freedom of worship.
“They are making demarcations on how the church should be conducted and who should lead the church. Yes, we have the calling but training is also very eminent. So I am optimistic that the coming into force of this policy will actually restore sanity and create order,” he told this reporter in a brief interview.
Alex Okello, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity said the policy is in line with the Third National Development Plan [NDPIII]. He tasked the clergy to take a lead in mindset change to pave way for development.
“Who changes the mind of people if not God? And who gives the word of God to people if not the clergies? If we talk about respect for humanity and the environment, shall we have people cutting down shea nut trees in Nwoya, Kitgum, and Otuke? Please change the mind of our people so that we have development in northern Uganda,” he said.
What the policy intends to address
There has been reported exploitation and manipulation of the faithful many reporting loss of colossal monies to their leaders in various religious organizations. All these have taken advantage of the scattered and unclear regulatory framework for RFBOs in Uganda.
According to Vision 2040 and National Development Plan [NDP II], government is committed to establishing a policy and legal framework that provides for a conducive and accountable environment for the operations of the RFBOs in the country.
Under Vision 2040, Ugandans aspire to have unity in diversity and equal opportunities irrespective of gender, tribe, ethnicity or religion.
In addition, Uganda is envisioned as a highly moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and instilled with the highest of ethical standards. Ugandans should profess their customs, cultures, and religious beliefs and yet, feeling that they belong to one nation.
The above is emphasised in NDPII where unity in diversity and equal opportunities irrespective of gender, tribe, ethnicity, or religion is provided for. The plan intends to facilitate religious institutions to optimally utilise their land.
Article 29 [1] [b] of the Ugandan constitution provides that; “every person shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and belief which shall include academic freedom in institutions of learning.”
Article 29 [1] [C] provides: “Every person shall have the right to freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organization in a manner consistent with the Constitution.”
Article 43 [1] provides for the general limitation on fundamental and other human rights and freedoms. It sates: “In the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed in this Chapter, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest”
What could have led to this policy
Article 29 [1] [c] of the Constitution gives Ugandans the freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organization in a manner consistent with the Constitution.
However, Government did not put in place a regulatory framework on how the freedom of worship should be exercised. As a result, members of the public are facing a lot of challenges from some RFBOs, including manipulation, exploitation of followers, and loss of property.
Other ills include; loss of lives, promotion of witchcraft, disunity among the faithful, increased rate of domestic violence, family breakdowns, instability in society, promotion of immorality, and noise pollution among others.
Furthermore, there is no mandatory centralized framework for the registration and monitoring of RFBOs.The existing arrangements for RFBO registration fall under diverse and uncoordinated agencies and legislation. While some RFBOs register under the Trustees Incorporation Act with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; others register under the Companies Act with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau; yet others register under the Non-Governmental Organisations [NGO]Act 2016 with the NGO Bureau.
Others do not register at all, but simply set up a place of worship and begin ministering to congregations. There is no record of the number of RFBOs that exist in Uganda and what their spiritual mandate is. As a result, the State has no mechanism of vetting, monitoring and identifying the unethical faith practitioners in order to protect Ugandans from the harmful effects of unethical religious practices.
Policy outcomes
The expected outcomes of this Policy are:
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- Enhanced integrity, accountability, and transparency amongst RFBOs and the community.
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- A Framework to facilitate the registration and quality assurance of all RFBOs in place.
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- Improved coordination of the respective contributions of the Government and RFBOs.
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- Availability of a strong and efficient mechanism for effective monitoring and assessing of the impact of the RFBOs to development.
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- Strengthened partnership and cordial relationship between the Government and the RFBOs.
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- Harmonious co-existence of different regions and faiths.
- Institutional coordination framework and mechanisms.
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