President Museveni has said government is still undecided on the proposed policy that would force all religious leaders in the country to undergo compulsory training in theological studies.
The State Minister for Ethics and Integrity Fr.Simon Lokodo said the new policy in the offing will require all religious leaders including pastors and Muslim imams to acquire minimum academic qualifications.
Born Again Christians have since protested against the proposed policy.
Speaking at the Pastors and Evangelists conference at Lugogo Cricket Oval on Monday, Museveni said he would invite both groups to discuss the matter.
“I don’t see the big issue but we shall discuss it biblically. Since the brains are democratically instituted, we shall find a solution. We shall understand one another,”Museveni said on Monday.
“I will call all of you, Lokodo and other people including the Archbishop and the Cardinal. We shall talk and see what is good for the work of God.”
Museveni in a veiled speech said Simon Peter who was a fisherman and had never been to the seminary was called up by Jesus and took over the role of fishing men, a thing he did very well.
On the other side, the President said in his village, in Kyamate, the Anglican Church that he always went to as a young child, the priests attended some training that enabled them serve the believers better.
He, however, noted all the sides of the coin will be considered during the discussions to come up with a neutral ground for all groups.
“I have not heard time to discuss it with Lokodo but I don’t know why we should waste so much time on it. Since the brains are democratically instituted, we shall find a solution. We shall understand one another.”
The Policy
Under the new National Policy on Religious and Faith-Based Organisations, all clerics will be required to obtain formal theological training and to obtain a certificate from a recognized institution.
According to the new policy, faith-based institutions will be required to train clerics for their respective denominations and it will also put in place procedures to be followed by whoever wants to start a new church and will be required to declare their source of income.
The policy will also seek to enforce transparency and financial accountability in religious institutions.
A number of religions including Muslims, Anglican and Catholics among others have recognized theological schools from where their various leaders are trained from before they start doing the work of God.
According to the policy document, a number of stakeholders including the Anglican church, Roman Catholic church, elders forum, Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, judges, Members of Parliament and the Orthodox Church among others were consulted before coming up with it.
Born Again church leaders recently said they are not part of any of the mentioned groups, adding that they have never been consulted.
They said they can be regulated by the 1995 Constitution and Penal Code other than the new policy being fanned by the minister.
“When one of our own, Pastor William Muwanguzi(Kiwedde) committed crimes, the law worked well on him. It is the same law that should be used on us and not what they want to bring,” said Prof. Simon Kayiwa of Namirembe Christian Fellowship.
