West Nile clergy endorse proposed faith-based organisations policy

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ARUA - West Nile region religious leaders have unanimously endorsed the draft government policy on the National Religious and Faith-Based Organisations (RFBOs) policy.

The draft religious policy dubbed: The National Religious and Faith-Based Organisations (RFBOs) Policy 2023, seeks to provide standard guidelines on starting new religious institutions, operation of untrained apostles, and ensuring accountability.

The religious leaders endorsed the policy during a multi-denominational stakeholders’ validation meeting on the draft new religious policy at Heritage Park in Arua City on Monday, April 8, 2024.

The religious leaders affiliated with the Church of Uganda, the Catholics, Islam, Seventh-Day Adventist, Pentecostal, and Born-Again churches, among others, were drawn from the various districts of West Nile.

Among the aims and objectives of the draft RFO policy include promoting a culture of transparency and accountability among different RFO players in Uganda, facilitating collaboration for national development, and promoting unity and harmonious coexistence among RFOs in Uganda.

While orienting the religious stakeholders on the need for the policy, Alex Okello Bwangamoi, the permanent secretary of the  Directorate of Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President, said a lot of misconceptions have been registered throughout the country by the religious leaders thinking that the policy aims at stopping them from their daily religious undertakings.

According to him, the policy is intended for the good of the religious institutions and their followers by ensuring accountability and stopping manipulation of parishioners.

While acknowledging the need for the policy, Habib Aluma, the secretary general for the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council West Nile Muslim region, described the policy as a welcome idea since religious leaders will be at the forefront in determining how their activities are run as the religion is all about ethics and integrity amidst the confusion and manipulation being witnessed in various religious denominations.

Arua urban archdeacon Venerable Alba Limio Avie concurred with the directorate in ensuring sanity and uniformity in operationalisation of religious institutions saying the policy should be able to address emergence of religious institutions without clear foundation.

The parish priest of Christ the King Parish under Arua Catholic Diocese Fr Pius Yobuta said they are ready to work with the government in wiping out immorality through the policy, especially corruption that is deep-rooted in the religious institutions where many institutions are not accountable to their worshippers.

Why RFO policy

The absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the exercise of freedoms like liberty and worship, as outlined in Article 29(1) (c) of the Constitution of Uganda, has given rise to a multitude of challenges faced by the public in their interactions with various RFOs.

Alex Okello Bwangamoi, the permanent secretary Directorate of Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President. (Credit: Robert Adiga)

These challenges encompass manipulation, exploitation of followers, loss of property and lives, disunity among the faithful, increased rates of domestic violence, family breakdowns, societal instability, promotion of immorality, and noise pollution, among other issues.

What the policy intends to address

There has been reported exploitation and manipulation of the faithful many reporting loss of colossal monies to their leaders in various religious organizations. All these have taken advantage of the scattered and unclear regulatory framework for RFOs in Uganda.

According to Vision 2040 and National Development Plan [NDP II], government is committed to establishing a policy and legal framework that provides for a conducive and accountable environment for the operations of the RFBOs in the country.

Under Vision 2040, Ugandans aspire to have unity in diversity and equal opportunities irrespective of gender, tribe, ethnicity, or religion.

In addition, Uganda is envisioned as a highly moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and instilled with the highest of ethical standards.

Ugandans should profess their customs, cultures, and religious beliefs and yet, feel that they belong to one nation.

Article 29 [1] [b] of the Ugandan constitution provides that; “every person shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and belief which shall include academic freedom in institutions of learning.”

Article 29 [1] [C] provides: “Every person shall have the right to freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organization in a manner consistent with the Constitution.”

Article 43 [1] provides for the general limitation on fundamental and other human rights and freedoms. It states: “In the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed in this Chapter, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest”

What could have led to this policy?

Article 29 [1] [c] of the Constitution gives Ugandans the freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organization in a manner consistent with the Constitution.

However, the Government did not put in place a regulatory framework on how the freedom of worship should be exercised. As a result, members of the public are facing a lot of challenges from some RFOs, including manipulation, exploitation of followers, and loss of property.