Rev. Fr. Mathias Kwehangana, a formator at St. Charles Lwanga Seminary Nyakibale in Rukungiri District, has condemned business operators taking advantage of rising inflation to exploit consumers, saying the practice contradicts Christian values and displeases God.
According to the latest statistics released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) on Friday at Statistics House in Kampala, annual inflation rose to 5.8 per cent in October 2026, up from 4.1 per cent in September. The increase was driven by rising food prices, transport costs and fuel prices, putting additional pressure on household budgets.
Essential commodities, including beans, matooke, diesel and petrol, registered significant price increases.
Delivering his homily during the second Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church Parish in Kabale Municipality on Sunday, Fr. Kwehangana said some business operators were using inflation as an excuse to exploit consumers, with others resorting to manipulating weighing scales.
He said such practices undermine Christian values and prevent people from living holy lives, urging traders to remain honest despite the rising cost of living.
Fr. Kwehangana warned that those who exploit others should not expect God’s blessings, emphasising that holiness should begin with individuals practicing honesty and integrity in their everyday activities.
CUE IN FR KWEHANGANA…ON PRICE GOUGERS…ENG//
He also identified corruption, dishonesty, hatred, tribalism and unforgiveness as major obstacles to holiness, saying Christians cannot claim to love God while exploiting workers, neglecting their parents, mistreating tenants or refusing to help neighbours in need.
He urged Christians to turn their workplaces and daily responsibilities into opportunities to serve God and promote the common good, regardless of their professions or social positions.
CUE IN FR KWEHANGANA…ON CORRUPTION…ENG//
Fr. Kwehangana further cautioned Christians against discrimination based on poverty, tribe, social status and political affiliation, emphasizing that everyone deserves equal treatment and respect.
Citing the teachings of St Teresa of Calcutta, who encouraged people to perform small acts of kindness with great love, he said Christians do not need extraordinary opportunities to demonstrate holiness, but should instead practise love and compassion through simple daily actions.
He also called for fairness within families, particularly in the way relatives treat their parents and in-laws, warning against favouritism between fathers and mothers or discrimination against relatives from either side of a marriage.
He observed that some families readily support their mothers when they fall sick but neglect their fathers, while others warmly welcome relatives from one side of a marriage but deliberately avoid supporting those from the other side.
CUE IN FR KWEHANGANA…ON DISCRIMINATION…ENG//
