It was a day of praise and worship in celebration of Christmas at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala. The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu urged all Ugandans to respect and live peacefully with one another.
While preaching in all the three services at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, the Archbishop voiced the need for harmonious existence. “We need each other. Every person is important, if you subscribe to a party, and the other one another party, respect one another. You are all God’s people. Uganda is here to stay.”
Archbishop called upon everyone to support one another and give equal opportunities and learn to co-exist regardless of their political affiliations, religions, color and tribe.
“Peaceful campaigns and peaceful elections should be promoted, Let there be justice and fairness in the whole exercise. Let there be peace. Uganda is here to stay, Uganda will continue…let us learn to co-exist, support and love one another.” He added
More so, the Archbishop called upon Ugandans to embrace peace during this political season-saying that Ugandans should not seek perfect peace from politicians, religious and other things but rather from Jesus, the savior of the world who establishes perfect peace.
“Let me tell you, there is no salvation in any politician,” Salvation is in Jesus alone, not anywhere else. We need politicians, yes because we need leaders but, we cannot have salvation out of them. You will never get salvation from any Bishop, any Archbishop…if you look at me for salvation, you will be disappointed. I am not a savior,” he said.
About Christmas, His Grace said that Christmas is basically about the Prince of Peace and that since many people have lost their loved ones in this difficult year, those who are alive should thank God for His protection.
Archbishop also decried the rise of domestic violence in Uganda especially among men. “Dear ones, we have experienced gender based violence, political violence, hooliganism…which we condemn so badly, it’s not the way to go. Excessive force from security which led to loss of lives, lets pursue the Lord of peace,” he said.
In regard to the Covid-19 pandemic, Archbishop Kaziimba said that wearing a mask is a form of people having peace with their neighbors. “This is the first Christmas when people are worshiping, preaching and teaching in masks. It’s very unusual. It is the first Christmas when not everybody including our children can come with us to worship. So this is really business unusual and we need to understand and be flexible. We need to learn to adjust because in other countries, people are not even allowed to worship. So let us be careful.”
He said that removing a mask while talking to others only shows that one is not a peace lover and only creates a problem. Kaziimba appealed to Ugandans to wear masks properly, wash hands, practice physical distancing and keep their families together and safe.