Over a dozen Catholic priests who attended National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s 39th birthday celebration boldly declared their stand on the January 14 presidential election.
According to results released by the Electoral Commission (EC), Bobi Wine lost to incumbent Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.
Museveni polled 58 per cent of the just over 10 million votes cast while Bobi Wine managed 35 per cent, a huge chunk of it from his home Buganda region.
Even after the EC chairman Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama declared Museveni president-elect, some NUP supporters believe, without presenting evidence, that Bobi Wine won the election.
Now, these have been joined by Catholic priests — most of whom had declared their support for Bobi Wine, a fellow catholic, even during their campaigns.
Some of these Catholic priests were captured on camera, rallying their congregations to vote Bobi Wine.
Now, when some priests were invited to attend Bobi Wine’s birthday mass at Magere in Wakiso District, they took the chance to praise the NUP leader and castigate Museveni.
Controversial priest Fr Anthony Musaala compared Museveni to Herod who persecuted Jesus Christ.
“Beware of Herod but his time to leave will come,” Fr Musaala cautioned.
He equally labelled Museveni a ‘dictator’ he was confident would be felled by Bobi Wine, a man the cleric claims had been despised.
Musaala also encouraged NUP supporters to stay determined to remove Museveni, telling them they would soon wear the crown of victory.
Besides Musaala, Father Martin Oyo, the Parish Priest of Kamwokya, confidently addressed Bobi Wine as Uganda’s president-elect.
Father Oyo went ahead to bless Bobi Wine with gifts, saying these (that included cash) would help the NUP leader to execute his duties as head-of-state.
For Father Jude Makanga, the Parish priest for Gayaza, their solidarity with Bobi Wine was based on their conviction that he was a fellow Catholic and they wouldn’t keep quiet as his rights continue to be violated.
