Faith, not fear, the key to Uganda’s future: The Church of England Newspaper, May 20, 2011 p 6.

Archbishop Henry Orombi

First published in The Church of England Newspaper.

“Ugandans, your faith is under test,” Archbishop Henry Orombi has warned, as spiralling food and fuel prices have led to political and economic unrest in the East African nation.

Prices for basic foodstuffs and fuel have risen sharply over the past year in Africa. Following weeks of demonstrations, riots erupted in the centre of Kampala on April 29, the day after opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested by police for protesting the sharp increase in food and fuel prices.

The World Bank’s “Food Price Watch” for April 2011 reported the price of basic commodities had risen sharply due to a rise in fuel costs, poor harvests in key grain exporters and rising consumption.

The report found that over the past 12 months the cost of maize (corn) had risen 114 per cent in Uganda, 65 per cent in Somalia and 48 per cent in Rwanda. The price of rice had risen 26 per cent in Malawi, and wheat had risen by 87 per cent in the Sudan. In the past three months maize prices rose 27 per cent in Nairobi and 25 per cent in Kampala, at the same time as fuel costs rose 21 per cent.

Reports from Kampala state that between six and ten protestors were killed by the police during clashes with the security forces following Mr. Besigye’s April 28 arrest. Accompanied by approximately 100 supporters, police smashed the windscreen of the opposition leader’s car and sprayed him with tear gas when they arrested him.

In his Easter address, Archbishop Henry Orombi said Ugandans were right to be concerned “when food and fuel prices are soaring; when our young ones remain unemployed; and when our mothers, wives and sisters die during child birth.”

“It is true that at the moment, the cost of living in Uganda is very high. The levels of disgruntlement are manifested in the headlines of our papers and on the screen. The growing number of street children, high morbidity rates, poor nutrition and social abominations like child sacrifice rage on.”

However, faith not fear was the answer. “In the act of dying on the cross” Jesus “catered” for our needs. “At the cross we find freedom from the power of sin and death. Through Jesus we find much needed peace to carry us through the storms of life and only through Jesus do we actually get the wisdom to find solutions to our troubles,” Archbishop Orombi said.

The archbishop asked “all Ugandans to continually adopt peaceful, lawful, and unifying strategies to address their challenges.”

The government had its job to do as well, the archbishop said. In a sermon preached at the consecration of Bishop Rueben Kisembo of Ruwenzori before a congregation that included President Yoweri Museveni, Archbishop Orombi urged the appointment of a cabinet that would serve the people, not just politicians.

“I request you, Your Excellency to surround yourself and create space for new thinking, new blood, new brains, and new people who will contribute to your manifesto and strengthen your ability to deliver your mandate to the people of Uganda,” the archbishop said on May 7.