Religious leaders partner with police to fight crime

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Religious leaders have vowed to boost police efforts aimed at fighting crime within communities.

This they hope to achieve by rallying their congregations to lead spiritually upright lives, while abiding with the set laws and guidelines governing society.

Speaking during a public baraza held at St. Jude playground in Southern division in Jinja city on Tuesday, the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Rt. Rev. Paul Naimanhe said that they have easy access to communities through weekly meetings and such platforms offer them ample time to enlighten their congregations on leading upright lives before both God and society.

Naimanhe argues that since fighting crime within communities is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders and the church leaders inclusive, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their congregants are enriched with both spiritual therapy and knowledge on the laws governing the land.

Naimanhe further says that security is a key aspect in the governance of society and he has embarked on efforts of retooling lay leaders, with tips on encouraging congregants to desist from involving themselves in criminal-related activities.

For his part, His Grace Silvester Kisitu, the Bishop of the Orthodox Church in Eastern Uganda said that clerics have streamlined special sermons, where congregants are sensitized on the dangers of crime and with the current willingness of police authorities to directly support such initiatives in places of worship, communities will be easily rallied to desist from criminality.

Kisitu further challenges communities to step up their working relationship with police, as a means of creating security, sanity and fostering economic transformation.

Meanwhile, Kiira region’s police commander Dauda Hiriga stresses that the partnership with religious leaders is part of their strategy to foster the implementation of a one-month community policing drive throughout their police region.

Hiriga stresses that it is the mandate of police authorities to be accountable to the communities they serve and this can be easily achieved through partnerships with different stakeholders, ranging from religious leaders, the business community, local leaders among others.

“It is our mandate to interact with communities concerning the viability of the services offered to them, ranging from customer care, state of security, crime scene handling, among others, therefore, it is only through strong partnerships with different stakeholders that we are able to receive reliable feedback from the people we serve,” he said.

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