Outspoken Catholic priest and former Parish Priest of Kitanga Parish in Kabale Diocese, Gaetano Batanyenda, has challenged religious leaders to reclaim their prophetic voice and speak boldly against injustice.
Speaking during NBS Morning Breeze on Monday, Fr Gaetano expressed concern over what he described as growing silence and compromise among faith leaders in the face of mounting societal challenges.
“In the past, religious leaders spoke boldly against injustice. Today, very few have the courage to do so. Many religious leaders have compromised and chosen comfort over truth,” he said.
He emphasized that spiritual responsibility requires moral clarity and steadfastness, urging leaders to reflect deeply on their calling during what he described as critical times.
“God is not silent. He sees what is happening, but He is giving us time to wake up,” he added.
Fr Gaetano’s remarks come as Uganda commemorates the 49th anniversary of the death of Janani Jakaliya Luwum, the former Archbishop of the Church of Uganda who was killed on February 16, 1977, after being arrested on the orders of then-President Idi Amin.
Luwum, the third Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, had spoken out against widespread human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings during Amin’s regime.
Although official accounts at the time claimed he died in a car crash alongside cabinet ministers Erinayo Wilson Oryema and Charles Oboth Ofumbi, it is widely accepted that he was shot on Amin’s orders.
Uganda commemorates Archbishop Luwum every February 16 in recognition of his courage and sacrifice. He is honoured globally as a Christian martyr, with a statue at Westminster Abbey in the United Kingdom.
In 2015, the government declared February 16 a national public holiday in his memory. National prayers, pilgrimages to Mucwini in Kitgum District, and community events continue to celebrate his enduring legacy nearly five decades after his death.
