{UAH} RELIGIOUS POLITICS BREAKFAST Vs NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST.

This is the schedule of the so-called National Prayer Breakfast that was held last week on the eve of Independence Day 2019 (see attachment). After a closer look, one realizes that all the prayers and the keynote speech are conducted in one favoured religion while all the other faiths are clearly marginalized and left out of the state function. According to the 1995 constitution, the people of Uganda are from many different equal faith's, and there should be no discrimination based on race, tribe, gender, political affiliation or religious belief. Even the Bayudaya (Ugandan Jews) are an officially recognized religion in this country and should at least be represented by their Rabbi (High priest) at such a national prayer event.

So was this, or was this not religious sectarianism smoothly going on in broad daylight during a state function that is supposedly national in character?

Ugandans have to learn to be more meticulous about discrimination, and make sure it doesn't become the societal norm. When nobody pays attention and others think this is just a minor issue, then we give room for sectarianism and ulterior ill intentions to thrive quietly and in plain sight as if there is nothing wrong going on here. Some polliticians are known to feel entitled to some pseudo religious superiority compared to other faiths in this country as if they are in some power competition based on religious affiliation.

For decades since independence, the presidency in particular has been turned into a religious issue, claiming that individuals from other faiths should not be allowed to lead this country. This is even written in the history books by learned scholars purporting to analyze this historic development, and they seem to think this is how Ugandan politics should be. They know themselves. And if they had any knowledge about long term national stability or if they were truly grounded in democracy, constitutionalism, professionalism, institutionalism and good-governance principals, then they would have been the first on the line to do what I am doing today, calling for an end to the politics of discrimination in this country.

A leader's religion is their personal matter and we should all agree that in public matters, nobody should impose or give preference to their faith over others.

As Africans, we even have traditionalists who are entitled to their beliefs. Why should we keep out someone who worships Kintu or another who believes in Gipir & Labongo?

This is the 21st century and the archaïc politics of religious identity are not in in any way part of the myriad of concerns that this country faces. Just ask the new generation of vibrant youths and their leaders. These are the people that leaders should always be in touch with so as to be abreast with the times and also be able to address the evolving concerns as society changes through media, innovation and therefore new transformational technologies.

How for example can some old political leaders reach to the extent of quietly declaring that their religious affiliation is the one that should be and remain in power, and they can maybe accommodate someone from their preferred neighbouring faith as Vice President. I was shocked to read such analysis openly being written about in the press some years ago. One can find political discussions about historic religious preferences in Uganda's politics regularly in the opinion sections of leading local newspapers.

What kind of bigotry is boldly going on in some peoples heads?

Power belongs to the people, doesn't it? And religion should never determine political leadership roles. In many countries they have clearly enshrined what they call "The separation of Church and government". That is the case in the United States for example. A predominantly Christian country itself.

In the case of Uganda, all religious leaders must distance their preference from political leadership positions, and all political leaders must remove their personal faiths from the delivery of public services and the formulation/implementation of public policy for all the people of Uganda.

One untold fact is that every single Ugandan has a family relative, a closer friend and/or a great colleague who practices a different faith from their own.

And we should always remind ourselves that the state of the Republic of Uganda is secular by design.

Therefore even God knows that quietly going against the secular nature of the state is simply religious bigotry, religious sectarianism and religious discrimination creeping into public policy life against religious minorities.

As for the National Breakfast Prayer, what is the Inter-Religious Council for?

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