GULU– Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese John Baptist Odama has asked politicians to use politics as a tool to unite but not to split the country.
“Political groups are supposed to promote within their groups the good of the bigger group (the country) in order to promote peace and unity unfortunately, many times most of them think in selfish ways as if they are in isolation yet they are not,” Archbishop Odama told the faithful in a homily at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Gulu District on Christmas Day.
He said political parties in Uganda are consumed by greed, which has bred hatred and conflict among people.
Archbishop Odama said politics is like a human body that comprises various organs that operate together for the good of the entire body.
“None of them should think for themselves alone but think in the context of the whole human race and in that way the good they do will affect humanity positively.
Let each group wherever and whenever they act, think of peace and unity,” he said.
Lauds Museveni
Archbishop Odama commended President Museveni for participating in the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) summit, a forum that seeks to promote discussions between various political parties in Uganda.
The summit, which was held on December 12 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, was boycotted by Forum for Democratic Change, the biggest Opposition party.
“Every Ugandan has a right to say he/she has something to say as long as it is to improving Uganda’s peace. We should not mobilize people against each other but rather say we must correct the wrong thing we have done as a country,” Archbishop Odama said.
In her message, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament and Gulu District Woman MP, Ms Betty Aol Ocan (FDC), called for truthfulness during the next Interparty IPOD summit if it is to transform the country’s fragile political setting.
“Dialogue is good as long as it’s truthfully done. Uganda will have a national dialogue next year and it should not be for window dressing and legitimising positions,” Ms Ochan said without elaborating.
By Tobbias Jolly Owiny, Polycap Kalokwera, Julius Ocungi, Cissy Ejang, Cissy Makumbi & Stephen Okello
By Daily Monitor
