Church issues missing persons appeal to government
The Chairman of Uganda Episcopal Conference, Rt Rev Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa. PHOTO/FRANK BAGUMA.
What you need to know:
- “We have also heard the cries of families whose relatives went missing allegedly [at] the hands of security operatives. We are concerned that two years or more down the road, some of these have not been accounted for or produced in courts of law despite persistent appeals by the affected families and other stakeholders,” Bishop Zziwa said
As abductions of Opposition supporters at the hand of what are suspected to be state security agencies continue to occur in the country, the Church has called for the government to intervene by accounting for the missing persons.
The appeal was made on Friday by Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese, who also doubles as the chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference. He made the comments while reading his Christmas message to journalists at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat offices in Nsambya, Kampala.
“We have also heard the cries of families whose relatives went missing allegedly [at] the hands of security operatives,” Bishop Zziwa said, adding: “We are concerned that two years or more down the road, some of these have not been accounted for or produced in courts of law despite persistent appeals by the affected families and other stakeholders.”
He further proceeded to “appeal to [the] government to account for the missing persons and ensure that all security organisations do their work within the confines of the law.”
The cases of abductions started during the January 14, 2021, presidential elections. The Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party has in recent months claimed that the state security agencies have been abducting and torturing its supporters.
The government has previously said the police do not abduct people, but rather arrest criminals irrespective of political affiliations.
Bishop Zziwa also shone light on the melting economy choking Ugandans, a slow-down that started since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“Poverty has consequently increased sharply [since then]. Today some families may not afford a decent meal and cannot keep their children in school due to low income,” he noted, adding: “On this Christmas Day, one wonders whether parents will manage to take their children to school next year.”
Bishop Zziwa hoped that, amidst the challenges brought upon by the economy, families can at least be able to be together and enjoy Christmas with even the limited resources they have.
He also called for safe driving for those travelling upcountry for the Christmas celebrations. This is amidst the rampant fatal road accidents during the current festive season.
“We invite all to take precaution on the highways and observe road safety guidelines. We exhort the drivers of automobiles to refrain from speeding so that accidents can be avoided and minimised for life is very precious,” he concluded.
The bishop mostly urged individuals to refrain from taking excessive alcohol and then getting behind the wheel. Such a habit, he said, often impairs clear judgement while on the road and can easily cause an accident.
