The prayer, “Oh Uganda! May God uphold thee”, is symbolic of a nation that acknowledges the ultimate authority of God.
The national motto also distinctly defines, or at least implies to establish, the hierarchy; God first, and thereafter, the country and its governance.
Our Constitution further protects the sanctity of faith. Enshrined in Article 7 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda is the prohibition of establishment of a state religion. This has guaranteed, by law and in practice, the freedom of belief, thought and conscience and the right to practice any religion in a manner consistent with the constitution.
This ensures that faith is free from the dictates of state control, manipulation or coercion. Under the banner of ensuring integrity and transparency, the proposed National Religious and Faith Organizations (RFO) Policy, 2023 inadvertently tries to restructure this very fabric of religious liberties by narrowing or blurring the lines between state and religion.
In trying to impose a framework of governance incompatible with religion, it elevates government influence over faith. The directorate for Ethics and Integrity (DEI) presumes bandaged, incapacitated, and unruly religious groups and, therefore, sees a need of a caretaker.
The policy, using the buzz words of transparency and accountability, seeks to create generally acceptable standards of worship. Immediately this poses a number of questions: What is the acceptable form of worship?
Who determines what is good for Deity, if not Deity Himself? Is this position substantiated in law and evidence-based policy development? Rather, it comes off like a thinly veiled case of paranoia about the “mushrooming” churches.
The vigour of government arms in the shadows, waiting for any excuse to control the religious organizations, was exposed when places of worship were relegated to a non-essential status during the dark age of Covid-19 lockdowns.
This condescending attitude, among other examples such as calling some churches as “mushrooming” by the proponents of the policy, exposes the ulterior motives enshrined in this proposed RFO policy.
Over Legislating
Picking from the events in Kenya in relation to the Shakhahola forest massacre wherein over 400 lives were lost, emboldened the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity’s move to curtail religious freedoms in Uganda.
It further cherry picks isolated incidents like ADF, Alshabaab, Lakwena, Kony and the Kibwetere occurrences as the general representation of Uganda’s religious and faith challenges to justify a special policy against religion and faith. This isn’t a sustainable approach because Uganda suffers from a chronic disease of overlegislating.
Does God then have a say?
Having embraced religious liberties, Uganda is endowed with advantages, that few other countries are blessed with. Consider the prominent voice of Prophet Elvis Mbonye. He foresaw and warned of the repercussions of trying to fringe on religious liberty in 2016. The 2020 global lockdowns were on his radar as he foretold in 2018.
He also prophesied about the recent religious regulations in Kenya and its implications. So, Uganda is not without an authentic mouthpiece of God in our time! But does the nation really desire to seek the will and mind of God before implementing policies?
With this policy in the offing, Uganda is at crossroads and it should determine not to move aimlessly as sheep without a shepherd. Faith and belief transcend mere religious education. The RFO policy should not equate ministering on a pulpit to something akin to seeking a job at a factory or vying for a political seat, where both require educational backgrounds.
The greater danger in this approach is government accrediting the “reasonable and responsible” in its perception while discrediting the spiritually authentic based on absurd criterion. This would be akin to the Pharisees that sought help from the Roman authorities to crack down on whoever did not toe their line. This would make the government the principal director of what is doctrinally right or wrong.
Will the country continue to hold in appreciation, the inherent right to worship, and leverage on its spiritual comparative advantage who is Prophet Elvis Mbonye or in the fog of apparent and unclear legal mischiefs, wield legislative wands and trail down a volatile path?
No nation legislates against faith and belief ever stands tall.
The author is a concerned citizen
