Some opponents of the ruling government lack credibility

The phenomenon of hypocrisy and lack of credibility amongst people who claim to be against government corrupt ways is increasingly becoming a disturbing factor in Uganda. Many opponents condemn government activities and those of others but pontify or ignore their own transgressions. There are so many examples of hypocrisy and incredulous wrong doing by many political, religious, sports and social activists that one knows no where to begin or end.

Let us begin from religious leaders who claim to act by divine guidance. This country has produced many official and non-official reports of wrong-doing against government employees, institutions and others. Religious leaders and their supporters have had free access to all of them, but most of these leaders continue pontifying on metaphysical matters while carefully avoiding any reference to these credible reports of transgressions.

Ugandan religious leaders and spokespersons on morals continue spitting fire at audiences and congregations for imagined wrong doers but when the real ones are identified, the same leaders keep quiet or worse, praise them. The doers of iniquities are transparent to everyone except to these religious leaders and their faithful followers. They should all be challenged to a public debate on this hypocrisy.

Religious leaders should not participate in partisan politics. But they must speak against the evils of bad politics because bad politics damage if not destroy altogether God’s people and their souls.

Unfortunately, many religious leaders indulge freely in partisan politics. Religious adherents freely testify that their own religious leaders both openly and clandestinely engage in partisan politics not so much because of divine inspiration as for material gains.

I will cite one example who is man enough not to be embarrassed. Assistant Bishop Zac Niringiye is a friend of mine. I believed in his courage and integrity.

He is a co-founder of the anti-corruption league. Following the publication of the Report on the mismanagement, embezzlement and disappearance of billions of shillings in the Tourism Ministry and UWA, the Commission entrusted him with a copy of the same report.

He promised to deliver it personally to the Archbishop of Church of Uganda and use it widely and publicly to expose and fight against corruption and thefts. This particular church and the Catholic church who also have kept a shameful and inexplicable silence on the recommendations in that report, received copies of the report.

Yet daily, if not more often, the same leaderships in both denominations cry out against other sins where no government or other workers are not implicated. I recently met my friend Bishop Niringiye. He speaks with passion and apparent conviction on misgovernance, term limits and corruption. I challenged him on the fate of the report he received and on why he has not come back to the Commission to explain what happened to the Report. The Lord Bishop was visibly embarrassed and said, “Ah, mmm, aaa. phew, there were some problems. I will one day explain to you. My God! What cobras!”

I also saw some Members of Parliament who had promised to raise hell and ensure that culprits named in the same report would be publicly discussed in Parliament and elsewhere for removal from office and punishment. Some kept quiet.

Others, like Bishop Niringiye confessed that they had had problems and obstructions in doing anything about the report. Forget about the independence, vigour and courage they falsely promised to their electors. You lied to them in order for them to elevate you to prominence from your village obscurity.

Justice Kanyeihamba is a retired Supreme Court Judge.
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