KAMPALA – Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has backed a proposal by religious leaders to lift a ban on places of Worship, reasoning that the latter can act as places of comfort to the people as the country eases the lockdown.
In a Facebook statement on Wednesday afternoon, the speaker said, “This is actually possible [opening places of worship] with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place.”
“This year, services were successfully held at the Catholic and Anglican Martyrs Shrines with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place. The Archbishop of Mbarara was thereafter installed with similar SOPs in place,” he said, noting that she has received overwhelming petitions from religious leaders.
“The Church has spoken to me on this issue to ask that government considers facilitating the churches, mosques, and other places of worship with standard operating procedures,” she noted asking Prime Minister Dr. Rukahana Rugunda to update Parliament on the matter.
Among religious leaders, there is a small but vocal minority who reject the government’s prolonging a ban on religious services, among other measures.
Kampala Catholic Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga late last month emphasized that places of worship are the only places where people can run to seek God’s guidance, protection,and intervention because of the current challenges facing the world.
Anglican Church Archbishop Samuel Kaziimba was quoted in media as saying that Church Leaders are organised and ready to abide by the standard operating procedures set up by the Ministry of Health and President Museveni to contain the spread of coronavirus.
President Museveni on March 18 imposed restrictions on worship places, schools and social gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus, no congregation prayers have since been allowed. This affected celebrations countrywide.
