Drama at Abim Church as reverend, LC 2 chairperson fight during service

Abim, Uganda | URN | A Sunday church service at All Saints Church of Uganda in Abim Town Council, Abim District, was thrown into chaos after a disagreement between a reverend and a local council chairperson turned physical. The incident happened at around 9:00 am when Innocent Oyo, the LC2 Chairperson of Wiawer Parish, stood up during the service and asked Rev. Can. Richard Ongom, who was leading the prayers, to allow him to make an announcement.

Oyo said he was in a hurry and wanted to pass on information to members of the community before leaving. According to eyewitnesses, Rev. Ongom asked him to wait until the prayer service was over or give the announcement to the church media team to deliver on his behalf. This did not go down well with Oyo, who accused the reverend of undermining him.

Oyo is said to have insisted that, as the LC2 chairperson of the area, he had a responsibility to communicate with his people. A video recorded during the confrontation shows Rev. Ongom asking Oyo to allow him to finish the service. “Please, please, please, no, no, no, LC2, I am the authority here, and I’m not going to allow you to talk. Can you go out?” Rev. Ongom is heard saying.

The situation soon got out of hand. According to eyewitnesses, Oyo moved towards the altar where the reverend was standing and allegedly slapped him, prompting Ongom to hit back. What started as a disagreement over an announcement then turned into a fight inside the church, leaving worshippers shocked. Oyo and Rev. Ongom reportedly exchanged blows, while the reverend’s wife is also said to have joined the confrontation.

Oyo later alleged that she was punched on the ear and fell. Giving his side of the story, Oyo said he had received a call from the Detach Barracks Commander in Abim Town Council asking him to deliver a security-related message to residents of Wiawer Parish during the church service. He said he arrived at the church late, after the scheduled time for announcements had passed, and approached Rev. Ongom for permission to speak briefly. “I was meant to relay the communication to the congregation in church, and when I arrived, everything was well,” Oyo said.

“During the time for announcements, I spoke to Rev. Richard Ongom, asking him to give me just a minute to relay the security information I was sent with because Abim Town Council generally, when it comes to security, is not well,” he added. Oyo said he was particularly concerned that other people had been allowed to speak while his request, despite being the local council chairperson, was rejected.

“People who earlier thought permission to speak were allowed to speak, but for me, as the LCII chairperson of Wiawer Ward where this church is located, it was rejected,” he said. Oyo alleged that the disagreement became physical after the reverend became angry. “He became agitated and angry. He could not allow me to speak. He grabbed my hand and started boxing me and even bit me,” Oyo alleged. The matter has now moved to the police.

Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson, said the confrontation caused commotion in the church and that both parties had reported the matter to Abim Town Council Police Station. According to Longole, police registered two counter-cases of assault and issued PF3 forms to both parties for medical examination.

“No arrests have been made yet as inquiries are ongoing,” Longole said. He appealed to the public to avoid turning disagreements into violence, particularly in places of worship. “We appeal to the public to remain calm and to always use peaceful and lawful means to resolve disagreements, especially in places of worship,” Longole said.

Efforts to get Rev. Ongom’s side of the story were unsuccessful. He declined to speak to our reporter, saying he had been instructed by his superiors not to issue any statement. For the congregation, what began as an ordinary Sunday service ended in an unsettling scene, with worshippers calling for peace and unity within the church and urging those involved to resolve their differences peacefully.