By KT Reporter
With less than three weeks to Uganda’s general elections, the Christmas message delivered by the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kasana–Luweero, Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mukasa was less a seasonal reflection and more a timely warning.
As political campaigns intensify, the Bishop’s appeal for restraint, mutual respect, and love underscores a recurring challenge in Uganda’s electoral politics: elections may be temporary, but the divisions they create often endure.
Speaking during Christmas Mass at Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of Peace Kasana Cathedral, Bishop Mukasa reminded both candidates and voters that political competition must not come at the cost of social cohesion.
“After January 15, we shall still need each other,” the Bishop said-an observation that resonates deeply in communities that have repeatedly borne the scars of election-related violence.
He stressed that no individual or political group exists in isolation, and that this election period should be marked by love rather than hatred.
Elections are temporary, wounds are lasting.
Referring to ongoing campaigns ahead of the January 15, 2025, general elections, Bishop Mukasa expressed concern over reports of violence, insults, and confrontations involving both presidential and parliamentary candidates, as well as clashes among their supporters. He condemned personal attacks, whether verbal or physical, saying such conduct undermines human dignity and threatens peaceful coexistence.
“After elections, people will meet again,” he warned. “And the hard question will be why one chose to attack another.”
The Bishop cautioned that acts of violence leave wounds that are costly and difficult to heal, urging all political actors and their supporters to choose restraint and respect throughout the campaign period.
Bishop Mukasa’s remarks come amid renewed concerns over electoral violence in parts of Luwero District, an area that has previously experienced unrest during election periods.
On December 2, 2025, Uganda Radio Network (URN) reported that at least two supporters of Katikamu North MP Denis Sekabira sustained serious injuries following an attack by supporters of a rival candidate in Kakuuto Village, Butuntumula Sub-county.
According to Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima, the incident occurred after Sekabira had concluded a rally at Katuugo Village.
Supporters of NRM candidate Gaddafi Nasur, reportedly armed with sticks, confronted the crowd returning from a separate rally at Bukambaga Village.
Police said the clash was allegedly retaliatory, following an earlier confrontation involving supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) near the Butuntumula Sub-county headquarters the previous day. Two NUP supporters, John Kisuze and Lutwama, were seriously injured.
During the same incident, the campaign convoy of NRM Youths Central MP Agnes Kirabo, who is contesting for Luwero District Woman MP, was also attacked.
Police reported that a vehicle, registration number UBL 938X, belonging to Mukasa Yakobo, the NRM Chairperson for Nyimbwa Sub-county, was damaged.
The injured supporters were rushed to Luweero General Hospital, while police from Luwero Central Police Station intervened to restore order.
Luwero is no stranger to electoral unrest. During the 2021 general elections, the district was among the hardest hit by violence linked to the electoral process.
The killing of Richard Mutyaba, LC I Chairperson of Kasaala Village, during protests following the arrest of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, remains a painful reminder of how quickly political tension can escalate into loss of life.
The destruction of Wobulenzi Magistrate’s Court and government vehicles during the same period further exposed the fragility of public order during contested elections.
These events left behind not only physical damage, but unresolved questions about accountability and proportionality of force.
Also present at the Christmas Mass was Luwero District Woman MP Brenda Nabukenya, who echoed Bishop Mukasa’s call for peace and fairness in the electoral process.
She expressed concern over the excessive use of tear gas during campaigns and alleged selective enforcement of the law by security agencies.
“There is too much unfairness driven by hatred,” Nabukenya said, alleging that opposition candidates are often subjected to brutality, while those from the ruling party are treated differently.
She added that embracing love, fairness, and impartial enforcement of the law would help lay a strong foundation for a credible and peaceful election.
In this context, religious leaders like Bishop Mukasa occupy a unique space. Unlike politicians, they are not seeking votes. Their influence cuts across party lines, ethnic identities, and social divisions.
By framing elections as temporary and coexistence as permanent, the Bishop reframed political competition as a moral issue rather than a zero-sum contest.
As Uganda approaches January 15, 2025, the challenge is not simply to conduct an election, but to preserve the relationships that will sustain communities afterward.
The real test of the electoral process will not end when results are announced, but in how Ugandans treat one another once the campaign slogans fade.
” Bishop Mukasa’s Christmas homily was, in essence, a reminder: democracy is not only about choosing leaders, but about choosing how to live together despite political differences.
Whether that message is heeded—by candidates, supporters, and security agencies alike—may determine not just the credibility of the elections, but the peace that follows them.
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