Mukono Diocese says it spends the shs10 million on private security companies that guard its property.
The Mukono Diocese is grappling with significant financial burdens as it spends Shs 10 million per month on security to safeguard its properties and projects from land grabbers.
The move to hire private security agencies came after repeated incidents of land grabbing and violent attacks on church properties and personnel, coupled with inadequate government intervention.
According to the bishop, key areas like Kisowera in Nama sub-county and Nakanyonyi in Nabbaale sub-county have been heavily affected by land grabbing, with the perpetrators often evading justice.
"Despite numerous petitions to the government and arrests of culprits, many perpetrators are quickly released, creating a sense of impunity," Bishop Enos Kitto said.
The diocese's costly measures and the escalation of violence underline the urgent need for systemic reforms and government intervention to address these disputes comprehensively.
The diocese has faced a number of attacks on its properties, including schools, projects, and residences of clergy. In 2023, several violent incidents occurred, all linked to land disputes:
Lay readers were attacked, and property was damaged at Grover Wilcox School of Mission, Nakanyonyi Secondary School students were poisoned.
The Nakanyonyi Cottage Industry was vandalized, its perimeter wall destroyed, and workers beaten, Rev. Mikka Lukwago was assaulted, his car vandalized, and church properties at Kisowera damaged.
The bishop urged the government and judiciary to collaborate and resolve the land disputes decisively. He reiterated the need for justice to safeguard the diocese's properties and ensure the safety of its workers and residents.
The Mukono Diocese Bishop has also banned political campaigns in churches ahead of the political season.
Bishop Kitto emphasized that churches should remain neutral, warning ministers against using the pulpit for political campaigns and urged politicians to seek votes outside church premises.
