Religious Leaders Call For an End To Poverty

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Religious leaders under the Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) have called for increased vigilance from government in the fight against poverty, if the country is to realize development in the next fifty years. The religious leaders made the call during the Rwenzori regional launch of the renewed religious leaders’ commitment to nation building in Uganda under the theme ‘The Uganda we want in Fifty years’, in Fort Portal.

Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda and the Co-President, Inter-religious council of Uganda said it’s unfortunate that fifty one years after Uganda gained its independence, many citizens are still living below the poverty line and the government hasn’t done much to address the problem. Mubaje says this explains why citizens don’t listen to the word of God because they are poor and not happy.  He said most of the citizens are struggling to meet their most basic needs.

//Cue in: “we want a Uganda…
Cue out: “poor people can’t listen.”//

According to the Poverty Status Report produced by the Ministry of Finance, there are more than 10 million Ugandans living below the poverty line. Mubaje said that although government has made some achievements in technology, trade, industry and education in the last 50 years, evils such as corruption, intolerant leadership and domestic violence are on the rise.

He reiterated IRCU’s call to government to improve the health sector. Joshua Kitakule, the Secretary General, IRCU says religious leaders under the IRCU are ready to join efforts with government to make Uganda a better place to live in the next 50 years. According to Kitakuke religious leaders remain influential in the political, economic and social life of the country so they shouldn't be neglected.

Kitakule also says IRCU will roll out its activities to all parts of the country. The Uganda we want, initiative is intended to clarify the role of religious leaders in nation-building. It coincided with the national preparations for the celebration of 50 years of Uganda’s independence from colonial rule.

The religious leaders agreed on a set of commitments, which were meant to refocus and reenergize religious leaders to act individually and together to confront a number of issues affecting the common man and woman in Uganda, including poverty, corruption and violence. The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda is a coalition of five major religious grouping including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, the Orthodox and Seventh day Adventists. The council aims at fostering peace.