The Archbishop of the Orthodox Church Metropolitan Yona Lwanga has called on the Government of Uganda to immediately release all political prisoners, saying their continued detention is creating more tension and anger among Ugandans.
Archbishop Lwanga is also calling for national reconciliation to ensure peace in the country. This was contained in his Psalm Sunday message to Christians as they prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Details follow
Celebrations on Palm Sunday, a moveable feast held on the first Sunday before Easter, marks the start of Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday, the most important date in the Orthodox Church calendar.
According to the Christian tradition, the date commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem just before his arrest and crucifixion, when followers strewed palm branches in his path.
The Orthodox Church leaders in Namungoona led by Archbishop Metropolitan Yona Lwanga started the day by performing their traditional ceremony.
It’s here that Metropolitan Yonah Lwanga renews calls by the clergy, asking the Government to release all political prisoners.
“They should come out from prisons and take care of their families, not to live them in the prisons with their wounds, not only on their bodies, but also the wounds in their own souls. If it continues like that without a change, it is going to create more complicated matters in the future of our lives. It is not good for us to add more complicated situations in our lives like that without any reason. Someone politically has the right to be on the opposition side.”
Archbishop Lwanga accuses security operatives of concocting false crimes against opposition politicians, who were arrested during the 2021 election process.
“I know that the security personnel in most cases are creating crimes where they are not existing, I know that, I follow. Therefore we have to train the security personnel to understand how they should do their work appropriately, but no to do that because they are in the regime of that time.”
He is now calling for national reconciliation following a tense election period.
“Without reconciliation, we can move this country forward, we are going to become whatever we have become; thieves, robbers, murderers and unjust always. If we don’t reconcile, we shall steal all the money from the treasury, we shall make it ours because we have the access,” he concluded.
