A section of 317 legislators who voted to allow amendment of article 102(b) of the constitution has sternly warned religious leaders to stop inciting violence.
They sounded warning on Wednesday, a day after two powerful clerics asked them to repent for having gone against the will of Ugandans who sent them to parliament by passing the age limit bill last month.
This bill which was passed, signed into a law by the President allows Ugandans beyond 75 years to contest for the highest office in the land.
Initially article 102(b) prohibited leaders of 75 years to contest for President.
Since 317 legislators both in ruling party and on independent tickets passed the bill, they have been accused of betrayal since the electorate ‘decided’ otherwise during the consultation meetings conducted across the country.
Many stakeholders including Civil Society Organisations, opposition politicians, religious leaders, traders and many more have since opened a verbal war against lawmakers.
On Tuesday while sending off former Church of Uganda (CoU) departed Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo at Namugongo Shrine two poweful clerics; Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and Stanley Ntagali upped their ante on the legislators for being greedy and selfish.
Kampala Archibishop Lwanga said whatever the church speaks is the truth because it’s the conscious of the State.
Anglican church leader Ntagala began his sermon by directing verbal artillery to MPs who have turned Uganda motto into ‘For God and My Stomach.’
He said they deserve to apologize to the voters for betraying their conscious.
On Wednesday MPs responded to the Men of God’s call saying they exercised the will of electorate.
Igara West representative Michael Mawanda said, “there is no need for us to apologize. We voted in broad day light. And we did what the voters sent us to do.”
Kitgum WAoman MP Beatrice Anywar, formerly opposition and a strong critic of President Museveni scoffed at Ntagali’s call saying lately religious leaders are inciting violence.
Igara East legislator Raphael Magezi said, clerics should understand that the law benefits all Ugandans and therefore they would have sinned by not doing the right thing of amending the constitution.
The comments made by lawmakers come high on heels of a tirade of outbursts issued by Museveni on New Year’s day describing the clergy as ‘traitors.’
