Gulu Archdiocese resolves tension between Priest, Acholi MPs over Covid-19 protest

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu Archdiocese has quelled the tension between Rev. Fr. Charles Onen from the Holy Rosary Catholic Parish and Acholi Members of Parliament over their recent coronavirus disease-Covid-19 demonstration in Gulu Municipality.

On Monday last week, the Aruu South MP Odonga Otto and his Kilak South counterpart Gilbert Olanya led a demonstration in Gulu town protesting the high number of Covid-19 patients admitted at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.

Police intercepted the protesters at Cereleno market in Pece Division leading to the arrest of the two legislators on charges of inciting violence and negligent acts likely to cause the spread of an infectious disease.

The protest didn’t go down well with Rev. Fr. Charles Onen from the Holy Rosary Catholic Parish who publicly criticised the MPs for staging the demonstration outside their constituencies.

He blasted the legislators for being greedy when they pocketed Shillings 20 million that was part of the Shillings 304 billion supplementary budget to combat the virus.

The MPs backed by Kelly Komakceh, the Pece Division LC 3 Chairperson and woman rights activist, Stella Kijange Lajiiri felt disgraced and decided to retaliate.

In an audio recording that went viral on social media, Odonga Otto accused Fr. Charles Onen of being used by rival politicians who didn’t participate in the demonstrations.

The politicians demanded the immediate resignation of the priest for alleged sexual abuse and eloping with someone’s wife child in Gulu town contrary to his celibacy vows.

The tension between Fr. Onen attracted the attention of the Archbishop of Gulu Diocese Dr. John Baptist Odama and Vicar General of Gulu Archdiocese Monsignor Mathew Odong.

The two summoned the warring parties on Sunday for a closed door meeting where they asked them to cease fire.

Shortly after the meeting, Gulu Archdiocese issued a joint statement that was presented to the media by Monsignor Odong.

He regretted the saddening comments from the two parties, saying the parties had aggrieved to retract their statements and forgive each other.

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