Catholic Church Urges Gov’t To Curb Gun Violence

The Uganda Episcopal Conference’s chair, Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa, expressed worry over the rise in violent homicides in the nation, particularly those involving firearms. Bishop Zziwa believes that the loss of precious lives due to heinous crimes is a serious issue that cannot be disregarded.

The bishop explicitly addressed the issue of gun violence during the Martyrs Day celebration at the Namugongo shrines and encouraged the government to enact stronger regulations governing gun ownership, both among security officials and by private citizens. Since the terrible killing of Retired Colonel Charles Patrick Okello Engola Macodwogo, the Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, there has been a dramatic increase in gun violence in Uganda.

Unfortunately, numerous other people from different parts of the nation have also suffered injuries or death as a result of gun-related situations. According to a 2016 report from the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons, gun violence has long been an issue in Uganda, which has the highest prevalence in East Africa. According to the report, there were 43,512 reported occurrences of armed crime in Uganda between 2010 and 2014.

Bishop Zziwa also sent condolences to the president and people of Uganda for the deaths of African Union-affiliated peacekeeping troops in Somalia. He prayed for harmony in the Horn of Africa, the Sudan, the Ukraine, Russia, and other nations.

Bishop Zziwa also formally unveiled Uganda Catholic Television, a channel created by the Church for evangelism purposes. The TV station, which had been testing signals in recent years and had initially only broadcast in certain regions of Kampala, would now start airing regular programs and extending its reach to include the entire nation and beyond.

Speaking on behalf of the president, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja emphasized Uganda’s continued growth and current situation of relative calm.

She urged devoted citizens to take advantage of the government’s wealth development initiatives, earn money, and raise their socioeconomic standing.

Bishop Charles Martin Wamika announced that Jinja Diocese will name new parishes and a hospital after the martyrs in honor of this year’s Uganda Martyrs as the event came to a close.

Given that it has been 20 years since a comparable project was started, this undertaking is particularly significant. The Tanzanian pilgrims who routinely lingered behind each year to clean and maintain the shrines were thanked by Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere, who saw it as a sign of their steadfastness and humility.

However, the Episcopal Conference’s initiatives to prohibit the use of plastic materials at the shrines have stalled, resulting in an accumulation of plastic bags and bottles and showing that the anticipated cultural change has not been achieved.

Numerous dignitaries, including the Kyabazinga of Busoga, government officials, the head of the opposition in the House of Representatives, lawmakers, and others, attended the occasion. Political commotion erupted when some people objected to sitting in designated chairs because of the color of their chairs.