Priest blasts handout culture tells Uganda demand roads

A Catholic priest told voters to stop taking small gifts from politicians before the 2026 elections. Rev. Fr. Marius Byamukama spoke at a church event for former district leader Michael Kwarikunda Mbareba. The priest said people should ask for better roads, schools and hospitals instead of pocket money. He pointed to the unfinished Hamuhonga-Murwaara road as proof that leaders fail to deliver. The priest worried about pregnant women using traditional helpers because health services remain poor.

Franco Robert Centenary criticized the ruling party's voting method of making people stand behind candidates. He said this system creates fights between voters and divides communities. The former parliament member represented the FDC party leader who could not attend the ceremony. Religious and political leaders from Rukiga District came to honor Kwarikunda at his family home.

The event raised money to fix the broken Gwongora Catholic Church. People donated 39.2 million shillings and 210 bags of cement for the project. Church leaders need 394 million shillings total to build the new structure. Kwarikunda thanked God for helping him through difficult times during his career. The priest also asked Christians to throw away plastic waste properly to protect the environment.