Minister Ecweru in Closed-Door Meeting with Bishops Over Attack on Clergy

The State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Musa Ecweru is holding a closed-door meeting with the Bishop of Soroti Diocese, Rt. Rev. Kosea Odongo over the attack on members of the clergy.

The meeting comes days after the Minister beat up three church workers from Wera Parish in Amuria District last Saturday for allegedly encroaching on land belonging to Wera Seed Secondary School.  Initial information indicated that Ecweru, in the company of his bodyguard Juma Odiope, assaulted Rev. Simon Peter Olato, the Parish Priest of Wera Church of Uganda and two lay readers; Benjamin Otasono and Simon Peter Eriku of Aten and St. John churches respectively.

The attack on the clergy attracted criticism from both the church leaders and the community. Both Soroti Diocese and the Province of The Church of Uganda issued strong statements condemning the conduct of the minister and asked the government to intervene in the matter.

Captain Mike Mukula, the NRM National Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda and former Area MP subsequently requested the retired Bishops of Soroti and Bukedi, together with the Bishop of Global Harvest Church in Soroti, John Eitu to mediate and resolve the conflict between the minister and the Church. Initially, the Church workers in Amuria had threatened to suspend services in Wera until the minister issued a public apology.

Today, the leaders convened a meeting at St. Peter’s Medical Centre in Soroti. It is being attended by the retired Bishops of Soroti and Bukedi Dioceses, Rt. Rev. Charles Bernard Ebitu Obaikol, Rt. Rev. Nicodemus Okile Engwalas, priests and other religious leaders in Soroti. Also in attendance is the Resident City Commissioner, Robert Adiama who also Ecweru’s young brother.

Ecweru, who has since said little on the matter drove to Soroti with unusual security detail for the meeting where journalists have been barred from accessing. However, URN has learnt that no formal complaint has been lodged with the police on this matter since the first attempt was frustrated by the Police in Wera.