Last updated 5.30am, 19th November (AEDT)
Kampala, Uganda
Religious leaders in Uganda have condemned Tuesday’s bombings in Kampala that left six people dead, including the attackers, and 33 others injured.
The clergy termed the bombing “ungodly” and asked the perpetrators to repent of their sin.
Scene of one of the bombings in Kampala, Uganda. PICTURE: John Semakula
The bombs went off in the busy central district of Kampala at 10:30am at locations close to parliament and adjacent to the city’s central police station.
No parliamentarian was injured or killed in the attacks but a number of police officers sustained serious injuries and some are believed to have died.
In a statement released on Tuesday after the attacks, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, condemned the incident and asked Ugandans to pray for the enemies of the country who perpetrated the attack.
“The Bible…encourages us to pray for our enemies,” Kaziimba said.” So, I urge all of us to pray for God to turn the hearts of the perpetrators from hearts of stone to hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). To pray for them to be convicted of their sin and to repent of their evil ways and turn to the Lord.”
Kaziimba also prayed for justice and mercy for the victims of the bomb attacks.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the families of those who died and whose lives were cut short by the evil crimes committed today,” he said, adding. “We also extend our prayers to those who were injured in the explosions and those who have been traumatized by the events. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, comfort us in our troubles.”
Kaziimba further urged Ugandans to pray for peace in the country.
Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu. PICTURE: Supplied.
Similarly, the Anglican Bishop of Mukono Diocese in Central Uganda, the Rt Rev James Williams Ssebaggala, condemned the attacks in the strongest terms possible.
He said, “It is unfortunate that the incident happened. Satan came to destroy. He does not want peace and Ugandans should not allow to be used by Satan.”
The prelate also asked Ugandans to jealously guard the peace in the country.
“We are brothers and sisters,” Ssebaggala said. “We may disagree with one another politically but we should never opt to kill those we disagree with.”
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Rev Dr Grace Lubaale, of Kyambogo University in Uganda, called for dialogue between the leadership of the government of Uganda, the opposition and enemies of the country.
“The attack indicates that there is a political problem that needs dialoguing,” Lubaale said further asking Ugandans to be vigilant with their security. “My condolences to the families who lost their dear ones and my sympathy to those who were injured,” he said.
Pr Joseph Kabuleta, founder of Watchman’s Ministries in Uganda, also condemned the attacks, blaming the radicalisation of Ugandan youth. Kabuleta noted that the high levels of poverty during the lockdown in Uganda have left the poor youth susceptible to recruitment in terrorism activities.
The attack comes in the wake of two attacks on 23rd October – one at a pork eatery in central Uganda where one person was killed and two others injured, and another on a passenger bus, also in central Uganda, killing one person suspected to have been a terrorist attached to the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan rebel group based in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
But the deadliest bomb blast in Uganda’s recent history occurred in 2010 when al-Shabaab militants, based in Somalia, attacked two football venues during the World Cup finals and killed more than 70 spectators. The militants accused Uganda of deploying troops in their country to fight them.
Uganda’s President General Yoweri Museveni has condemned the latest attack, saying the perpetrators will be defeated by his government.
