Unlike their colleagues in Kampala, Forum for Democratic Change supporters in Mbarara district on Tuesday successfully conducted their weekly prayers without police interruptions.
The supporters held the prayer session at the FDC offices on Markhan Singh Street, in which they prayed for peace and change of government.
Previous prayers were blocked by police as has been the case in several other parts of the country.
However, last week, FDC leaders in 26 districts in the western region convened in Fort Portal where they held a meeting and penned a dossier about their prayer program, explaining that the campaign is entirely peaceful. The document was distributed to the various district police leaders and Resident District Commissioners.
Some of the FDC supporters that attended yesterday’s prayers
Yesterday’s prayers in Mbarara were led by the All Saints Church Priest Denis Nzeyimana who prayed for God’s intervention in Uganda’s affairs.
In his sermon, Nzeyimana told the FDC supporters that President Yoweri Museveni was not sent by God. He said that God-sent leaders listen to their people and treat them fairly.
“Often times I feel embarrassed when we and religious leaders have to pray for the President during the Sunday services,” he said.
“It is absurd that this government instead of closing down lodges and bars which operate late at night and promote immorality, it prefers closing opposition party offices, and harassing people who stand up to call for peace and fairness.”
The priest went ahead to decry the “deplorable” state of social services in the health and education sectors.
“But all this can only last for so long,” he reassured. “One day God will remember this country. He will remember his people.”
During the prayer session which was attended by about 40 FDC supporters, the party publicity secretary for the western region Peter Byamukama urged all people to join in the campaign, saying that is doesn’t discriminate.
“Ugandans will not fly out of this country because of one person Museveni; power belongs to all of us,” he noted.