MPs warn Museveni off Religious leaders

A cross section of catholic MPs have vowed to institute a commission of inquiry to investigate on state operatives spying religious leaders.

The MPs led by Mukono municipality legislator Betty Nambooze said that president Museveni has introduced the Hitler system of administration where he plants spies to all places to consolidate his reign in power.

“Religious leaders have an obligation to talk for the vulnerable and oppressed,” Nambooze said.

Gozanga Ssewungu (Kalungu South MP) said Museveni’s government has killed separation of power in the country.

"Museveni should tell us who directed the spies into the religious without seeking permission from the top religious leaders,” Ssewungu said.

Moses Kasibante (Lubaga North) said that this an attack on the Christian faith and as parliament they will constitute an independent committee to investigate the matter.

Ssempala Kigozi (Makindye) accused Museveni of failing the Islamic religion by placing spies on the clerics, he said that the president is now trying to dismantle the christians and should be investigated.

However, speaking on behalf of government, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said that the matter is being handled by the presidency.

“The President and the religious leaders are in regular contact to resolve this,” Rugunda told parliament.

On Easter, Lwanga reiterated his statement that government is recruiting priests, catechists and seminarians to spy on other religious leaders.

“Let government have courage to call Ntagali (for protestants ), myself or Mubajje (for muslims) and tell us the information they have about ourselves but some of those you recruit have been expelled from church and are only giving you false information. They will lead to your downfall,”Lwanga said during prayers at Rubaga cathedral.

and act on information given to him by some of the intelligence organs in the country, he would soon see his own downfall.

He said no one can stop government from doing intelligence work because it has been in practice all over the world for many years but warned that whoever is recruited should be truthful to avoid tarnishing other people’s names.

On recruiting men of God to spy for intelligence organs, Lwanga said most of those recruited have in the past been dismissed from the church before being contacted for espionage work by government.