Religion and politics: the legal regulation of religious organisations in Uganda — 2016 - present

Abstract

With increased visibility and social activism of religious actors and organisations in many post colonial African states, the legal governance of religious organisations has come into tension with citizenship rights and freedoms. This is the case in Uganda in recent years, where the state government at the federal level has proposed the National Religion and Faith Organizations (RFO) Policy. This policy was first proposed in 2016 and the policy document was revised in 2019. It purports to maintain the authority of the State over religious organisations while ensuring to observe the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms pertaining to religious beliefs, associations, practices, and belongings. This research aimed to understand the literature around the relationship between religion and politics in Uganda, between 1986 and present as well as the reactions for and against the RFO policy. Using data generated through telephone interviews, government documents, public forums, social media posts and comments, newspaper articles, periodicals, and news network interviews, from 2016 till the present, this study argued for a more nuanced and in-depth understanding of the complex and complicated process of the public governance of religious organisations in post-colonial African states such as Uganda. The reactions and arguments for and against the RFO policy indicate the need for the regulation of religious organisations in Uganda is based on socio-political dynamics and pressures which shape the way religious and political leaders and organizations interact in the society, how policies are implemented and the overall direction of the society concerning national development