Clerics ask residents to stop religious fights

Sheema. Religious leaders have asked residents of Sheema District to stop involving themselves in faith based fights but instead unite for the good of the society.
Following the 2016 general elections, the electorate in Sheema District were left bitter and divided.
The divisions were mainly caused by aspirants and their agents who used religion as a tool to canvass for votes and pave their way to Parliament and Local Government positions.

Worried
This kind of politicking saw Ms Jacklet Atuhaire, the Sheema District Woman MP, and Mr David Kabigumira, the district chairperson, both Anglicans replacing Ms Rose Mary Nyakikongoro and Mr Pastori Mugisha (Catholics), respectively.
Earlier on, Ms Atuhaire said the elections had bred tensions and conflicts based on religious lines.
“After elections, we had religious conflicts so we wanted to resolve them. We have the inter-religious mission to talk about unity in diversity. We have come to pray to God to heal our land,” Ms Atuhaire said while addressing residents at a recent medical camp.
“As Sheema leaders, after a difficult election we looked for a way to unite our people. We realised that God will heal our souls but we needed to heal our bodies and brought in medical camps,” she added.
But the religious leaders are worried that this kind of infighting if not curbed, could cause religious factions.
“During the last general elections, we asked our congregations not to fight. We went through the elections peacefully but later, there were fights based on political and religious lines. At a certain point, we thought Sheema would be finished because of the fights,” Bishop Don Tumusiime, the head of Pentecostal Churches in South-western lamented recently.
Bishop Tumusiime hailed Ms Atuhaire and Mr Kabigumira for uniting the people.
He added that the Inter-religious Council of Uganda is implementing projects aimed at fighting gender based violence that is destabilising families.
“We want to stop conflicts in families so that we can foster development. I want to appeal to all leaders to support this medical camp and mobilise their communities so that we can fight diseases which sometimes cause violence in our homes and communities,” said Bishop Tumusime.
Bishop Bernard Kakuru Bambatta of the Seventh Day Adventist Church asked the residents to pray for their leaders.
“Instead of fighting each other, kneel down and pray for your leaders. For Sheema to develop, you must go back and pray for your leaders and yourselves. We want leaders who front God and not politics,’’ Bishop Bambatta said.
He said if politicians start fearing God, they bring peace and unity as well as blessings to their communities. “I was surprised to see a religious movement being organised by political leaders in the district. Local leaders, opinion leaders of Sheema, God has blessed you. When the righteous leads, the world gets peace and I think the righteous are leading. I want to encourage you to love each other and avoid fights so that you can develop your district,” Bishop Bambatta said.

About Sheema
Sheema District was created by Act of Parliament, and it became operational on 1 July 2010. Prior to that the district was known as Sheema County and was part of Bushenyi District.