Retired Bishops rebuke Gen Muhoozi

Kampala, Uganda | URN | Former Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop Rt. Rev. Nelson Onono-Onweng has openly challenged Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba over the ongoing crackdown on media houses and alleged abductions, insisting that the army commander is “not the authority” in Uganda and must stop actions that violate the country’s laws.

Speaking to Uganda Radio Network on Monday, Bishop Onono-Onweng said the reported closure of independent media outlets and the wave of alleged abductions being claimed by the CDF were unlawful and unacceptable.

His remarks came just hours after Gen. Muhoozi, through his official X account, confirmed that he had ordered the shutdown of Nation Media Group outlets NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, Dembe FM and KFM -the country’s top independent media body.

Bishop Onono-Onweng noted that Gen. Muhoozi had exceeded his mandate in view of the current development on media shut down and security crack down on government critics adding that the CDF must stop his actions.

“He should stop it,” the Bishop said. “He is not the authority. The authority of this country is the Constitution, and nobody can do things like that. Otherwise Uganda is not a country anymore. Being the head of the army doesn’t mean you have authority to arrest people and do whatever you want. It must be stopped.”

Bishop Onono warned that shutting down media houses without following due legal process undermines constitutional freedoms and creates fear among citizens.

Reacting on the recent wave of arrests and alleged abductions of government critics, the retired bishop distinguished lawful arrests from illegal detentions, saying criminal suspects should only be handled through established legal procedures.

The latest of such abduction and detention is of other former Minister of Ethics and Integrity and women rights advocate Miria Matembe, just days after the abduction of former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Mayor Erias Lukwago.

Bishop Onono noted that while arrests cannot be questioned once performed lawfully, abduction of citizens is illegal and must stop immediately.

“Let the police do their work,” he said. “If somebody has done something wrong, let that person be arrested and taken to court. We don’t just take somebody away and fail to produce them before court. I don’t think that is acceptable.”

Bishop Onono also expressed concern over what he described as the silence of many religious leaders amid the country’s shrinking civic space.

He said religious leaders have a moral responsibility to speak out against injustice instead of remaining silent and questioned why many clerics had not publicly condemned the recent developments.

“Religious leaders are supposed to provide moral guidance and help nurture correct political decision making,” said Bishop Onono-Onweng. “We should point out where there is evil creating darkness in society. We should speak against it.”

Former Kitgum Bishop Rt Rev. McLeod Baker Ochola reiterated that religious leaders cannot remain silent while events unfolding in the country raise concerns about the rule of law and democratic governance.

“The religious leaders should not keep quiet, they should actually come out and openly let the government know what the people are going through,” Bishop Ochola said.

He lamented that many clergy have confined themselves to spiritual ministry while neglecting their responsibility to provide moral leadership on national issues.

Bishop Ochola also questioned the military’s increasing involvement in civilian affairs, saying the armed forces are mandated to protect the country rather than intervene in day-to-day governance.

“The military in every country is only meant to protect the country and the people within the country. They are not meant to be involved in the day-to-day activities in the country. When the military comes in, that is a very bad omen for the people of Uganda,” he said.

Bishop Ochola argued that the President and Parliament should be held accountable for the ongoing developments, saying state institutions have a duty to ensure that arrests are conducted lawfully and that citizens’ rights are protected.

The clerics’ concerns came just a day after security agencies on Sunday arrested two prominent civil society leaders and lawyers, Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime, before releasing them after several hours of interrogation.

Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), and Musiime, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Women Advocating for Change (AWAC), were picked up from Musiime’s residence in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District.

The circumstances of their arrest were not immediately clear and the incident added to growing concerns over the treatment of government critics and civic actors in the country.