By Kabuye Ronald
The Presiding Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Church (AOCC), Bishop Jacinto Kibuuka, has urged Ugandans to pray for the nation, remain calm, and participate peacefully in the 2026 general elections by voting according to their conscience.
Bishop Kibuuka made the call while delivering his New Year 2026 homily to a massive congregation at Mamre International Prayer Centre in Namugongo, Janda. The cross overnight Divine liturgy ushered in the New Year with deliverance and healing prayers, candle lighting, and a colorful fireworks display. During the service, the Bishop declared 2026 a year of “God Journeying with Us, Fear Not.”
Addressing the congregation, Bishop Kibuuka reminded Ugandans of their civic responsibility and the importance of peace during the electoral period.
“As we go to vote, make sure you vote your heart’s desire and ensure that nothing puts you off or leads you into violence,” he said. “Now that we are just a few days to the election day, I urge all of us to protect our motherland, Uganda, by ensuring that no aggression or conflict arises.”
The Bishop specifically called upon the youth and security agencies to exercise restraint and uphold peace before, during, and after the elections.
“To you, the youth, let us be peaceful at all costs,” he emphasized. “Uganda has a history where our parents and grandparents shed blood to build the country we see today. Let us honor that sacrifice by maintaining peace.”
Turning to security agencies, he added, “We call upon you in the name of God to be calm with your fellow Ugandans. We are brothers and sisters, and we must respect one another.”
Bishop Kibuuka concluded by wishing all Ugandans a peaceful, transformational, progressive, victorious, healthy, and prosperous year 2026, reminding them that there is life beyond elections and that national unity should always come first.
