A section of Pentecostal church leaders in Kabale District has expressed concern over what they describe as the government’s failure to address corruption among pastors operating within their congregations.
The allegations were raised on Thursday during a meeting organized by the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President. The engagement, held at Elijah Hotel in Kabale Municipality, aimed to empower Religious and Faith Organizations (RFOs) to promote the National Ethical Values Policy among families, youth, and children in the region.
Among the concerned leaders were Bishop Aloysius Kiiza of Lift Up Jesus Church Kabale, Bishop James Tumwijukye of Kabale Pentecostal Assemblies of God, and Bishop Dr. Frank Michael Tweheyo of Christian Fellowship Churches in the Kigezi region.
The leaders accused certain pastors of exploiting the faith of their followers for personal gain, fostering corruption within church structures and undermining the integrity of the religious community.
They lamented the government’s continued silence on the matter and called for a policy framework to protect vulnerable believers from exploitation by unethical religious leaders.
In response, Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye, Director of the Religious Affairs Department at the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity, alongside Justus Rubarema, Assistant Commissioner of Religious Affairs, assured the church leaders that the government is in the final stages of developing a comprehensive policy for religious and faith-based organizations.
They noted that the policy, which has been in development for the past eight years is intended to curb unprofessional conduct and ethical violations in places of worship nationwide. According to the officials, the draft policy is set to be validated on June 26.
