UGANDA: Polygamists to Carry Out Primary Elections Among Wives Like St. Matia Mulumba for Holy Matrimony
Archbishop Elect Raphael p’Mony Wakorach
Masereka Peter
The Archbishop-elect for Gulu Archdiocese, Uganda, Most Rev. Raphael p’Mony Wakorach has asked Polygamous men to conduct what he called internal family primary elections as a means to have a wife as required by the Holy teaching.
In his Homily while presiding over Holy Mass for this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations and the sixtieth anniversary of Uganda Martyrs Canonization on Monday, June 3, His Grace, asked polygamous Men to emulate St. Matia Mulumba who after embracing Christianity, vetted his wives for a life partner.
Uganda Martyrs were canonized by Pope Paul VI on the 18th October 1964 in St. Peter’s, Rome.
Monsignor Wakorach said polygamous marriages were not only troublesome but a total contradiction to Christian doctrine.
The Archbishop-elect who has been bishop of Nebbi Diocese since 2021 expressed his happiness to the pilgrims at Namugongo Catholic Martyrs shrine in Wakiso district, for the chance given to his diocese to animate this year’s Martyrs celebrations since 2007. He has also urged the government of Uganda to collaborate widely with Ugandans against corruption just like it was recently done regarding homosexuality. He has asked policymakers in Uganda to gain the same courage as that the Uganda Martyrs in the fight against corruption and other related acts.
Archbishop-elect Wokorach has further encouraged the Christians to choose between life and death through action and encouraged them to live according to the will of God referencing the book of Joshua in the Biblical and the Uganda Martyrs who choose to wholesomely serve the lord.
Speaking on the same day, the Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese Most Rev. Paul Ssemogerere requested the congregants to draw inspiration from the Martyrs’ courage and commitment and strive to uphold the values of the church.
He said that during the visit of Pope Francis to Uganda from 27th to 29th of November 2015 guided by the theme “be my witnesses” from Act, the Pontiff pointed out that Uganda Martyrs should guide the Catholics in their daily struggle to live the gospel of Christ through words and action, showing solidity with the poor and the weak.
On his part, the Head of State President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has challenged the pilgrims who thronged Uganda Martyrs Namugongo to balance work with faith in a bid to fight household poverty.
Addressing thousands of believers at Uganda Martyr’s Catholic Shrine on Monday, President Museveni who was the chief guest at the celebrations used parables saying that in the 1960s he opposed the Barokole in the greater Ankole region who preached that since Birds can get food even human beings can eat without work.
Museveni said that was bad preaching and that people must work hard as they pray so as they can fight poverty and get offertories to church.
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