Buganda Kingdom Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga has challenged Uganda’s widely repeated description as a “God-fearing country,” arguing that the country’s growing religious population has not been matched by a corresponding decline in crime, corruption and other social ills.
In a statement posted on his X account, Mayiga said Uganda’s public commitment to faith appears increasingly disconnected from the realities experienced by citizens.
“One of the most commonly used phrases is: Uganda is a God-fearing country,” Mayiga said, noting that the growth in the number of faithful people is “quite impressive.”
However, he questioned whether the country’s religious identity is reflected in the conduct of its citizens and institutions.
“The reality is far from the relentless acclamation about God,” he said.
Mayiga pointed to what he described as the widespread nature of serious wrongdoing, including theft of public funds, murder, torture, rape and domestic violence.
According to the Katikiro, the persistence of such acts raises questions about the depth of the values that are supposed to accompany religious belief.
He argued that the country appears to have developed a stronger propensity to commit sins than to live by the fear of God.
The remarks also put Uganda’s national motto under scrutiny: “For God and My Country.”
Mayiga said the prevalence of corruption, violence and other forms of wrongdoing makes it difficult to reconcile the motto with the realities of everyday life.
His comments come against a backdrop of Uganda’s strong religious presence, with churches, mosques and other places of worship attracting millions of faithful. Yet the persistence of corruption, gender-based violence, violent crime and abuse of public resources continues to pose questions about whether religious observance is translating into ethical conduct.
At the heart of Mayiga’s argument is a distinction between professing faith and practising the values associated with it.
His message therefore goes beyond a criticism of Uganda’s religious institutions. It is a challenge to citizens, public officials and communities to examine whether faith is influencing behaviour, public accountability and respect for human life.
For a country whose national identity explicitly invokes God, Mayiga’s question is ultimately a moral one: if Uganda is truly a God-fearing country, what should that fear of God look like in public life?
