Church condemns beating of three priests by minister

The Church of Uganda has condemned the attack on three priests in Wera Parish and the neighbouring Seed Secondary School in Amuria district by a minister over land issue.

The statement came shortly after a minister, whose name was held for legal purposes, allegedly beat up three Anglican priests last Saturday over a land dispute leaving the priests bleeding on the head.

According to Daily Monitor, the minister allegedly claimed the church encroached on the school land he lobbied for.

The injured priests were: Simon Peter Olato, Benjamin Otasuro, and Peter Eriku.

The Bishop of Soroti,Rt Rev Kosea Odongo, said that the three priests were planting cassava on church land adjacent to the sub county headquarters and seed secondary school.

Canon Captain William Ongeng, the provincial secretary of Church of Uganda, said in a statement seen by The Nile Post that the sub county recently surveyed their land and agreed with the church on the boundaries between the sub county and the church land.

He noted that there is currently no dispute or case between the sub county and the Church of Uganda about the land.

"The three pastors are being treated at the church health care centre. It is unclear why the honourable minister and his team chose to travel specifically to the site of the church's garden to verbally abuse and beat them," he said.

He stated that such behaviour was never called for and not befitting for the one who call himself a public leader and a child of God.

"The people elected their MP to represent them all, not to beat them. If there is a legitimate matter of dispute, there are legitimate ways to solve them. We call upon aggressors to seek peaceful means of settling disputes and the government to ensure that all victims are allowed to file police reports regardless of who has victimised them,”he said.