Elected leaders from Budalang’i in Busia have been accused by the clergy of engaging in wrangles during funerals.
Church leaders said this has stagnated development.
Busia Interfaith Peace Committee member Sheikh Ali Nguu and Bunyala Pastors’ Fellowship Forum chairman Essau Weke yesterdaay said they fear there could be clashes during the 2022 election if hate speech is not checked.
The clerics made the remarks at a botched special forum that had been intended to bring together political leaders. None of the leaders attended the forum.
“We are appealing to all elected leaders in Budalangi constituency to stop using the burial ceremonies as a platform to trade insults at each other as this is likely to cause a breach of peace,” Nguu said.
None of the elected leaders who include Raphael Wanjala, Bunyala South Ward MCA Casper Ajuma, Bunyala Central ward’s Felix Omanyi, Bunyala North Ward MCA Fred Musirimba, Bunyala West ward’s Batholomew Were and nominated MCAs Bernard Odako, Cynthia Mutere, and Patrick Obongoya attended the peace forum.
The religious leaders unanimously resolved not to allow politicians from taking advantage of funeral ceremonies to rebuke fellow political leaders who had failed in elections.
