A group of dissatisfied Christians has taken legal action against 37 bishops of the Church of Uganda, challenging their role in nullifying the election of Rev Godfrey Kasana as the bishop of Luweero. The Christians accuse the bishops of unfairness in handling allegations of infidelity against Rev Kasana.
| Key Points | |
|---|---|
| Legal Challenge: | Four Christians petition the High Court in Luweero, targeting individual bishops involved in nullifying Rev Kasana’s election. |
| Court Summons: | 37 bishops summoned to file their defense within 15 days regarding accusations of unfair treatment toward Rev Kasana. |
| Petitioners: | Moses Bemba, Moses Kakembo, John Saight Ssendowoza, and Christopher Sajjabi Katende. |
In response to a court ruling affirming the Church’s authority in bishop elections, the dissatisfied Christians demand a fair hearing for Rev Kasana. They seek to halt the ongoing nomination and election process for the fourth bishop of Luweero Diocese and declare Rev Kasana as the duly elected bishop.
The legal suit focuses on the individual participation of bishops in violating Rev Kasana’s basic human rights by allegedly denying him a fair hearing.
| Legal Focus | |
|---|---|
| Nature of Case: | Violation of Rev Kasana’s Constitutional basic human rights for a fair hearing. |
| Differentiation: | Contrasted with an earlier case, this one targets individual bishops’ participation in the alleged violation. |
| Lawyer’s Statement: | Emphasis on the case dealing with human rights rather than faith matters. |
The petitioners, represented by lawyer Erasto Kibirango, stress that the case is distinct from the previous one, focusing on the violation of Rev Kasana’s Constitutional basic human rights.
| Legal Representation | |
|---|---|
| Lawyer: | Erasto Kibirango, representing the aggrieved Christians. |
| Case Distinction: | Different from the earlier case, emphasizing human rights over faith matters. |
| Serving Bishops: | Process of serving individual bishops ongoing at their respective dioceses. |
The 37 bishops summoned include retired bishops, with the lawsuit accusing them of denying Rev Kasana a fair hearing and failing to provide evidence for allegations of infidelity.
| Accused Bishops | |
|---|---|
| Total Bishops: | 37, including retired bishops. |
| Accusations: | Failure to accord Rev Kasana a fair hearing and inability to provide evidence for infidelity allegations. |
| Legal Action: | Petitioners demand the halt of the bishop election process and the declaration of Rev Kasana as the duly elected bishop. |
