Since Wednesday, the Archbishop of Kampala of Kampala Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has been making headlines after suggesting that the 2021 elections should be postponed with just three weeks to the polling day.
During a press conference this week,the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) led by, Dr Kizito Lwanga said the elections should be pushed to 2024 and that the Constitution should be amended to allow President Yoweri Museveni to continue ruling during the period of postponement.
“A few days ago, our top leadership of UJCC to which I am the current Chairman, discussed this current entire sad situation at length and we came up with a resolution that we should postpone the presidential elections for at least three years so as to allow both the Covid-19 pandemic and the electoral climate to cool down and also create a favourable political and social environment which will enhance peaceful free and fair elections. This is a debatable proposition that we call upon the Parliament to discuss objectively,” Dr Lwanga told the media.
However, Archbishop Lwanga’s statements have since caused mixed reactions among Ugandans with many accusing the cleric of being in bed with the ruling government.
While delivering his Christmas Homily at Rubaga Cathedral on Friday, Dr Lwanga ever since he made the statement, some Ugandans have resorted to abusing him as well as spreading fake news about him to the extent of accusing him of wanting to kill presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.
“There is too much misuse of social media, too much fake news. People were on social media spreading lies, abusing me, and saying all sorts of things that I have been bought (by Museveni). If you ask such people to provide proof, they can never get it. I ask you to use social media to say the truth, avoid spreading fake news,” Lwanga said.
He further revealed that some people have accused him and other religious leaders of being used by the state to frustrate Bobi Wine’s presidential bid.
“Certain people on social media are accusing me and other religious leaders of harboring ill intentions against Bobi Wine. One of them even called me and said that religious leaders want to kill Bobi Wine by poisoning the hostia (Eucharist bread). These people have apparently asked Bobi Wine to stop taking holy communion in church or not pray in certain churches for such a reason. Can you imagine!,” he added.
Who is Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga?
Cyprian Kizito Lwanga is the current Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kampala, a position he acquired on 30 September, 2006.
He was born at Naggalama in Mukono district formerly the archdiocese of Kampala (now Diocese of Lugazi) on January 19th 1953.
His late father Joseph Nsubuga Wamala was a catechist and he died in 1983. He has four brothers and four sisters.
He attended Kyabakadde primary school and in 1964 he joined Nyenga Minor seminary. He thereafter entered the National Major Seminary of Philosophy of Katigondo 1972-1974 and in 1974-1978, he studied Theology at the National Major Seminary of Ggaba.
He was ordained a priest on April 9th 1978 by the late Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga of the Archdiocese of Kampala.
In 1979, he joined the University of Clermont-Ferrand (France) to study a course in administration and languages, with particular focus on administration.
He was appointed Chaplain of His Holiness in 1986. In 1994 he was awarded with a Doctorate in Canon Law of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.
He was appointed first bishop of the Diocese of Kasana-Luweero on 16 November 1996 and ordained bishop on 1 March 1997 at Kasana-Luweero.
He was later appointed the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kampala on 19 August 2006 and installed as the third Archbishop of Kampala on 30 September 2006 at Rubaga Cathedral, succeeding Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
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