The Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has downplayed reports that he is plotting to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni.
Dr Lwanga’s comments were in reference to a phone call he received from an anonymous person indicating that the state had received information linking him to a plot to overthrow the government. The caller reportedly told him that government had recruited informants within the church set up, who had given information to the president on the alleged plot.
Dr Lwanga said a lot of misleading information is passed to the President by politicians, businessmen, civil servants, police officers, Internal Security Organization and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) among others.
He was speaking to a congregation at Old Kampala Playgrounds where thousands converged for holy mass, after taking part in the ecumenical public way of the cross, an annual procession held in the simulation of the journey of Jesus to the place of his crucifixion.
He said the anonymous caller warned him to be careful, saying he might be the next Janan Luwum, the former Archbishop of Church of Uganda, who was killed by government operatives on February 16, 1977.
“He told me they had recruited a number of priests, catechists and seminarians who keep on giving them information about religious leaders and other members of these organizations (church),”Lwanga said.
Lwanga, who expressed shock at claims that he wants to overthrow government appealed to the informants to stop telling the President lies.
The Archbishop, who described the misleading information as unfortunate and terrible, told President Museveni that he was recruiting wrong people as informants. Lwanga said some of the informants were dismissed from the Church and now shine as saints before the president.
“They(intelligence organs) are talking ill about myself ,Archbishop Ntagali and other religious leaders. They are character assassinating people by telling lies.”
He appealed to President Museveni to reach out and find out the truth. He also asked the President to be kind enough and tell them the Church leaders he has recruited in ISO, ESO or CMI. Lwanga, who doubles as the Chairperson of Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), told the recruited clergy that they cannot serve in the church and security.
Today’s joint prayers were held under the theme “Courage, the Lord is our strength and guide”. They were attended by the Archbishop Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali, Bishop Hannington Mutebi of Kampala Diocese and Father Emmanuel Ssekyewa of the Orthodox Church among others.
Adopted from URN
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