Catholic Church speaks out on Arua protest

Catholic Church speaks out on Arua protest


By Serestino Tusingwire


Following Thursday’s unrest in Arua where angry Catholics battled it out with police in protest against the leadership of Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki, the Church has distanced itself from the violence saying it always has smarter and peaceful means of settling conflicts.

On Thursday, Ediofe Cathedral, the headquarters of Arua Catholic Diocese turned into a battle field as police and UPDF fired live bullets to disperse a group of Christians, who were baying for Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki’s blood.

Trouble started at about 12:40am in the night when police arrested about 24 Christians manning the grave of the late Bishop Emeritus, Frederick Drandua in the Cathedral.

According to the statement released from the Uganda Catholic secretariat, catholic Bishops of Uganda have been following all that has been happening since the appointment of Odoki and the death of Drandua, but disassociated themselves from the violence.

According to them, they always have peaceful ways of settling church differences not using violence.

“The Catholic Church has always used peaceful ways of handling such situations and this is what they are appealing for,” the statement reads in parts.

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