President Yoweri Museveni has urged church leaders across Uganda to guide the nation away from “politics of identity” as the country prepares for the 2026 presidential and parliamentary elections.
His message was delivered by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa during the closing ceremony of the Western Region Anglican Bishops’ Retreat at St. John’s Cathedral, Ruharo in Mbarara on Sunday. The five-day conference brought together retired and serving bishops, along with their spouses, from the 15 dioceses of Western Uganda.
Museveni praised the unity and development-oriented approach of the dioceses and commended the inclusion of spouses, acknowledging the increasing leadership role of women. He stressed that the church holds immense influence in shaping Uganda’s moral and social landscape and urged religious leaders to use their platforms to discourage divisive political narratives.
“The church commands a bigger platform in shaping the moral instruction and community organization in the country. As we head to general elections, help the country to keep off politics of identity,” Museveni said.
He assured the bishops that government has established mechanisms to guarantee peaceful, free, and fair elections, but warned that identity-based politics remains a threat to national cohesion.
“We have the necessary mechanisms to ensure peaceful elections, including the courts of law, and we will ensure we protect people and their property during and after the elections.”
Museveni also called on church leaders to strengthen family-centered moral teachings, saying national transformation begins in the home.
“A nation cannot transform without a strong foundation of the family and communities. Help us instill discipline and moral purpose among families, especially protecting children from harmful influences,” he said.
The President commended dioceses that have invested in income-generating projects, singling out Ankole Diocese for empowering its congregants through development initiatives. He encouraged religious institutions to reduce over-reliance on believers for financial support.
“I am very appreciative of such retreats; they are key to mindset and transformational change. The Diocese of Ankole you are visiting has developmental projects that have economically empowered it and the Christians,” he added.
Museveni further urged the church to join government in advancing socio-economic liberation efforts, emphasizing four key sectors of wealth creation: commercial agriculture, industries, services, and ICT.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa used the retreat to raise concern over the growing prevalence of lifestyle-related illnesses.
“We need to start on a project of longevity because our people are dying carelessly of diseases that are preventable,” he said, citing alcoholism and drug abuse—especially among the youth—as major contributors.
The Bishop of Ankole Diocese and chairperson of the retreat, Rt. Rev. Prof. Frederick Sheldon Mwesigwa, echoed the health concerns, pointing to poor health-seeking behaviors.
“During pastoral visits, we always conduct medical camps, and we have discovered that many people are living with non-communicable diseases,” he said. “Pastoring a sick community is not Godly,” he added, calling for policies that encourage regular medical checkups.
Outgoing fellowship chair and Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Onesmus Asiimwe, highlighted the role of the annual retreats in fostering both spiritual and economic growth.
“Our dioceses keep getting economically and spiritually grounded because of these retreats. The church will get empowered when its people are economically well-off.”
Founded in 1976, the Western Uganda Anglican Bishops and Spouses Fellowship brings together serving and retired bishops to deliberate on development, health, and spiritual issues affecting the region.