Former principal judge Justice James Ogoola has called on government to let religious leaders speak out on Politics saying, the role of the Church cannot be underestimated.
Ogoola made the call at a public dialogue organized in remembrance of the Late Janani Luwum, the then Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire, who was murdered on February 16, 1977, in Kampala.
Born in Kitgum district in 1924, Luwum, a leading voice in criticizing government excesses was killed on February 16, 1977, on the orders of President Idi Amin Dada. He was accused of being in contact with Forces that were planning to overthrow the regime. Killed together with the Archbishop were two government ministers, Charles Oboth Ofumbi and Lt. Col. Erinayo Oryema.
Justice Ogoola says the church cannot be silenced because it has a duty to oversee the rights of all the disadvantaged and those that cannot speak for themselves in society. He added that the relationship between the church and government tantamount to an unhappy marriage.
Quoting Article 1 of the constitution, Justice Ogoola says that since power belongs to the people and not just to the politicians, religious leaders should not be stopped from pointing out what is wrong in society.
