Clare
As the country marked its Independence day Yesterday , Rev. Fr. Charles Bagenda has called upon Christians to pray for Uganda and especially for its leaders, that they may faithfully carry out their responsibilities in building a just and peaceful nation.
Preaching during the 10:00 p.m. Mass at Virika Cathedral in Fort Portal City Fort Portal Diocese held in commemoration and prayer for the country , Fr. Bagenda urged believers to reflect deeply on the state of the nation, saying that if the situation does not reflect the peace and justice they deserve, then it is their duty to pray for leaders to act with love, fairness, and openness to dialogue.
Nation of Challenges
Citing the ongoing challenges such as irregularities in the payment of government workers particularly teachers, Fr. Bagenda attributed Uganda’s slow development to leaders who have failed to listen to their people’s needs, often prioritizing things like political campaigns over essential public services.
He, however, encouraged Christians not to lose hope or dwell on the challenges, but to trust in God, who calls His people to love even their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them.
Earlier on, Uganda celebrated 63 years of independence from Britain, attained on October 9, 1962, after decades as a British protectorate. The nation’s first president was Sir Edward Mutesa II, with Milton Obote as prime minister. Since then, Uganda has gone through several political transitions, with eight presidents in total, including Idi Amin, Yusuf Lule, Godfrey Binaisa, Paulo Muwanga, Tito Okello, and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.