Rev. Fr. Felix Odeda, Priest of Muko Catholic Parish in Rubanda District, has ignited a firestorm by publicly telling District Woman MP Mbabazi Prossy Akampurira that him and colleagues had resolved to support her rival despite Prossy’s Shs. 30 million donation to the Church Parish SACCO.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a video clip making rounds on social media, Fr. Odeda told Ms. Akampurira that he and a group of Kabale Diocese Priests under the forum named “Peace and Justice” had decided to support her rival, Jacqueline Katabazi, in the upcoming elections.
This was after Ms. Akampurira came to Muko Catholic Church holding bundles of cash, reportedly amounting to Shs. 30 million, donating it to Muko Catholic Parish SACCO.
Akampurira’s photo with bundles of cash has since been making rounds on social media, with her rival’s supporters alleging that it was part of the Shs. 400 million she received in the Controversial Service award.
The service award, amounting to UGX 1.7 billion, was a payout to four parliamentary commissioners, including Former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga, Zombo District Woman MP Esther Afoyochan, Bukoli Central MP Solomon Silwany, and Akampurira.
However, in the video clip, Rev. Fr. Felix Odeda is seen explaining to the gathering (in front of Ms. Akampurira) that he and his group of Church leaders in the Kabale Catholic Diocese had resolved to support her rival, Ms. Jacqueline Katabazi. In the video clip, the Priest goes ahead to reveal a number of other politicians their meeting had resolved to support.
This comes at a time when the Kigezi Sub-region is grappling with Politics of Identity, as a section of people accuse the Catholic and Anglican church leaders of being at the center of Political Conflicts.
A recent video clip making rounds on social media also showed people said to be Church leaders, purportedly beating church drums at Nyaruhanga Archdeaconry under the Anglican Diocese of Kigezi, as they sabotaged a planned meeting between Rubanda Woman MP Aspirant Jacqueline Katabazi and the Christians at the Church compound.
This was after Ms. Katabazi was reportedly denied a chance to speak during the Church service where Akampurira was given a platform. The same had earlier happened at Mungara C.O.U, where Ms. Katabazi was again denied a chance to address the congregation despite coming with a set of solar energy materials for the Church Priest’s house.
These events also have a similar trend of religious sentiments that marred the recent Kisoro District Woman MP by-election, where Catholics and Anglicans drew battle lines in the rivalry between the winner, Ms. Grace Ngabirano Akifeeza, and the First Runner-up, Ms. Rose Kabagyenyi.
On one of the campaign rallies, President Museveni cautioned the religious leaders and elders against allowing the “poisonous” Politics of Identity to prevail.
“Politics of Identity is poison, and it kills,” Museveni said, and further explained that he had personally made phone calls to both the Anglican and Catholic Bishops within the region to warn them against allowing Politics of Identity in their Churches.
President Museveni’s message has been numerously repeated by Senior Politicians within the region, including State Minister of Finance Henry Musasizi, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Security Jim Muhwezi, and State Minister of Industry, David Bahati.
However, all their messages against Politics of Identity seem to be falling on deaf ears, as the Church leaders from both Anglican and the Catholic Faith are reportedly organizing secret meetings to select candidates to support in the upcoming elections.
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