By Sam Orikunda
From what I read on social media and what I see in the mainstream media Ugandans are tired of corruption.
Stealing public resources has reached levels where the most common person is also affected and citizens are aware that it’s because of corruption that they’re not able to the get the services they deserve.
Almost each week we have a story of major stealing of public resources. Corruption was silent and ignored until it reached into the public servants, these ones do not steal in millions, they steal billions of money.
The NRM government has made a lot of achievements which are honestly visible but we should confess that we’ve not done much in as far fighting corruption within the government is concerned, this has given the corrupt individuals chances to steal more and skills to hide the evidence so that when they steal they’re not caught and when they’re caught they’re not charged in accordance with the law.
The church is the place where we go for prayers but also a place where morals are emphasized. There was a year during Christmas when a certain female Christian who was dressed indecently was stopped from accessing the church.
The next day it was a headline in the newspapers and it caused a lot of debate, I believe that was done in a away to preserve morals and the respect of the house of God. As the citizens cry and wail for the increase of the cases of the corruption in the country, where’s the church? what is their in put?
These days the church has turned into a money making venture, with the leaders in the church focusing on how they can get cash from the leaders, during functions the corrupt leaders are given priority over the taxpayers who are also Christians and whose taxes are being stolen.
The corrupt sit in front and are given chances to speak to the congregation to legitimize their habit of stealing and bringing to the church, maybe.
One wonders if God is pleased by how the church is handling this matter of corruption and if indeed he would be happy with the ones who are leading us on his behalf.
Corruption is a case of moral decadence, it should be condemned and fought by everyone.
The unending fundraisings in Churches have hugely contributed to the corruption we are facing in the country.
Of recent I learnt that the politicians compete during these fundraising to prove who has given the highest amount of money and therefore who has the capacity of enough cash. These fundraisings do not happen in only one church.
Different Churches of different faith organize fundraisings and the politician has the burden to attend all and also contribute to all. That’s why some leaders are bluntly telling Ugandans that they stole but the money they stole was given to voters, meaning they stole to bring for the electorate.
Some leaders once they realize that failing to contribute will cause losing support that day, they choose to make pledges on the microphone but which they never fulfill.
The amount of pressure put on the leaders by fundraisings has hugely contributed to the corruption cases we’ve in this country.
I believe, if the fundraisings are regulated the pressure on the leaders will reduce and maybe help us reduce on the cases of corruption in the country.
Once money is brought, which obviously comes from the public coffers, the congregation will clap and church leaders pray for it, meaning stealing will have been legitimized accepted before God.
Where do the corrupt leaders meet people from? I have realized that politicians no longer organize gatherings, they instead choose to attend church services and burial ceremonies.
All these activities are conducted by the church, if the corrupt were denied chances of accessing the public through these functions then they would fear and maybe feel guilty of their shameful acts of stealing funds meant for the service delivery. But because these ones given first priority when they show up then they feel there’s nothing wrong, I think they even feel encouraged to steal more.
Where then is the hope of dealing with this cancer that is eating up the country? If the church has given up and instead embraced it who will stand against it and come to the rescue of Ugandans?
We are getting closer to the campaign season, some church leaders will even take the mantle of openly campaigning for the corrupt, they will mobilise Christians and ask them to vote for those same corrupt leaders and Christians will sheepishly do so because most Christians obey instructions of their church leaders.
As Ugandans we would like to hear stories of a corrupt leader who was denied a chance to speak to the public in church.
We would like to hear stories of money which was given to the church and it was returned to that same corrupt leader. We would like to hear stories of corrupt politicians being suspended from the church.
Let the environment be difficult for the corrupt and the habit of stealing public resources will stop. We cannot leave this war with the President, he needs support from us as citizens of Uganda and the country will be free of corruption.
The corrupt leaders, who have positions in church of either leading a certain Christian group or anything in church should be asked to resign and be replaced by those who are not involved in corruption.
The inter religious council and other organizations have been mute as Ugandans suffer in silence. The little knowledge I have about Christianity is that we are asked and taught to live an exemplary life, this is also taught to the leaders. But instead we are doing the opposite we are a bad example of the people we lead and I’m sure every time some leaders appear in church the congregation will be seeing a thief in him no matter how the religious leader will cover him or her.
The Christians are understanding people only that they lack authority but some leaders would be embarrassed in churches.
The writer is the deputy RDC for Sheema District.
