In a few days, our country will go to the polls. The journey to this point has not been easy. It has been generally peaceful with some instances of violence and loss of lives and the suffering of some of our people. We are therefore deeply grateful to God for preserving our nation and bringing us to this moment. We extend our heartfelt sympathy and prayers to all families that have been affected, whether through the loss of loved ones, injury, or destruction of property.

During our pastoral visits across the country, we have observed a heightened sense of anxiety among the population, particularly regarding the escalating animosity between candidates seeking various leadership positions and their supporters. This anxiety is further compounded by the destabilizing effects that elections have had in some of our neighbouring countries, as well as by our own history, when disputed elections led to insurgencies for which Uganda paid a heavy price in human life and loss of property.

As religious leaders, we recognize our sacred duty to promote peace. At the same time, we firmly affirm that any process in which our nation engages must be grounded in justice and fairness. Without these, we risk sowing seeds of resentment, violence, and disorder. Guided by this conviction, we have undertaken various initiatives to contribute to a peaceful, credible, and transparent electoral environment, which include:

1. Persistently calling for responsible conduct and unwavering respect for the Constitution by all stakeholders, and using our centers of worship as spaces for civic awareness, voter education, and moral guidance.
2. Engaging key duty-bearers and decision-makers, including His Excellency the President, the Electoral Commission, political party leaders, security agencies, and the media, to raise pertinent concerns and advocate for an environment that upholds human dignity and guarantees a credible, peaceful, and violence-free electoral process.
3. Organizing and promoting various platforms of prayer and intercession, continually placing the entire electoral process before the throne of God. We have encouraged regular prayers in our worship centers, in keeping with our sacred scriptures,  which call upon us to pray without ceasing.

We are writing this Pastoral Guide to remind one another of our responsibilities at such a crucial time in the life of our nation. Elections are not only about casting a ballot. They are sacred moments in which a people pauses to examine its conscience, to reflect on the state of the country, and to decide the kind of future they desire for themselves and for their children. Every national election presents Ugandans with an opportunity to ask: What have we done well and must now consolidate, protect, and strengthen? What has harmed our social fabric and must be corrected or changed? Which men and women can we trust to lead us in building a just, peaceful, and prosperous Uganda? Nation building has never depended on one person or one political party. It is always a collective effort that requires the participation, sacrifice, and goodwill of all citizens and institutions.

At the same time, as religious leaders we are conscious that elections have their limits. They are an important mechanism for choosing leaders, but they are not a one-size-fits-all solution for the deeper conflicts, grievances, and divisions in our society. Our country carries wounds that are political, ethnic, religious, regional, economic, and generational. Many of these divisions are rooted in history and in structural injustice that cannot be fully addressed at the ballot box alone. This is why we continue to believe in, and wish to revive, the spirit of the National Dialogue process. Through genuine national dialogue, Ugandans from different backgrounds can confront painful truths, listen to one another, seek understanding, and agree on reforms that elections by themselves cannot deliver. Elections can open or close windows of opportunity, but it is sustained dialogue, reconciliation, and deliberate reform that will secure long term peace and stability.

Notwithstanding, an election is a serious and solemn exercise. In effect, we are choosing the kind of society we want to live in and the heritage we wish to hand over to the next generation. We therefore implore all citizens, as the primary stakeholders in this process, to be prayerful, sober, and mindful of the far-reaching implications of their choices. Let each voter weigh their decision not only in light of personal interest, but also in light of the common good, national unity, and the dignity of every Ugandan.

We also wish to underscore the grave responsibility carried by other stakeholders in this period. We have in mind the Electoral Commission, candidates at all levels, political parties, the media, security agencies, Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary. Their choices and actions must be guided by the National Constitution and by the higher call to serve the people of Uganda in truth and fairness. In what they say, in what they permit, and in what they refuse to do, they should act in the broad interest of the country, protecting life, respecting human rights, and preserving the possibility of future national dialogue and reconciliation beyond the elections…

Read more: SECOND PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CITIZENS OF UGANDA IN VIEW OF THE FORTH GENERAL ELECTIONS.rvd