Museveni, Archbishop Lwanga Hold Private Talks Likely Over Recent Claims of ‘Priest Spies’

President Yoweri Museveni has held talks with Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga over what is believed to be an effort to resolve the current misunderstanding between him (Lwanga) and the state.

The private meeting was held Sunday evening at Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala.

Though State House has not yet disclosed details of the meeting, it is likely that the engagement between the President and the Archbishop was related to recent allegations made by Archbishop Lwanga that government has been recruiting the clergy as spies in the church.

During a Holy Friday event organized by the Inter Religious Council of Uganda, Archbishop Lwanga revealed that elements in security agencies such as the Internal Security Organization, military intelligence and the Police had recruited priests to spy on him and other clerics.

Later on Easter Sunday, the Archbishop again hinted on the issue of priests who work as under cover agents during his sermon at Rubaga Cathedral citing a case of the priest who recently died under unclear circumstances only for security operatives to go to his residence claiming for a gun that the priest had reportedly been using to do their work. According to Lwanga’s account, the gun was retrieved from the bedroom and taken.

Following these claims, President Museveni made a telephone call to the Archbishop and they later agreed to meet on a way forward on ironing out the standing matters.

Archbishop Lwanga has in recent times been vocal especially on political ongoings in the country, notable among them, his condemnation of the contentious constitutional amendment last year which repealed the Presidential age limits.

President Museveni attends many of the functions to which he is invited by the clergy and has hosted many at State House and his country home in Rwakitura over the years.