EOC’s Bishop Kibuuka prays for peace ahead of 2021 polls

The presiding Bishop for the Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC) in Uganda, Jacinto Kibuuka has urged all Ugandans to work for peace before, during and after the forthcoming 2021 election.

“Setting bonfires in roads, damaging shops and property won’t affect people from abroad but yourselves. No one should stop you from casting the ballot but don’t engage in violence,”Kibuuka said on Sunday.

“We should all remember that it is the taxpayers’ money that will be used to repair the infrastructure we destroy. Let us not be so primitive to the extent of beating, killing and destroying properties of those we don’t agree with politically.”

He emphasized that the duty to ensure peace is not only a preserve of the security organs including the police and army but rather every citizen of Uganda.

“Be peaceful and we see how the security organs disrupt that peace. Let them beat you for being peaceful and then we take them to court. Don’t provoke anyone but stay peaceful.”

The man of God asked security organs to also exercise restraint in the manner they handle volatile situations.

“We call upon the security officers to respect human dignity and life by not getting so emotional to the extent of killing and beating people,” he urged.

There is growing concern from the public that there will be violence during the forthcoming polls.

Many urban dwellers have since fled to rural areas in anticipation of violence.

However, security agencies last week assured the country that will not be violence, during and after the Thursday polls.

“The security forces including the UPDF will be deployed during and after the elections to protect your businesses and investment including the tourism sites. They will be fully protected, so there is no need to panic,” said the Minister for Defence, Adolf Mwesigye at a joint security press briefing last week.