Kaziimba Mugalu-led church service in US disrupted by protesters

• A church service led by Archbishop Kaziimba in the US was disrupted by protesters.

• Demonstrators accused him of staying silent on alleged injustices in Uganda.

• The protest follows his defence of “quiet diplomacy” over public criticism of government.

• Bobi Wine and other critics say religious leaders should speak out more boldly.

A church service led by Church of Uganda Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu in the United States was disrupted by protesters.

Videos circulating online show a group of demonstrators confronting the Archbishop while he stood on the pulpit during a service believed to have taken place on Sunday in Boston.

The exact church where the incident occurred could not be independently verified.

In the footage, the protesters are seen waving Ugandan flags, while some wore colours associated with the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP).

They shouted at the Archbishop, accusing him of remaining silent on alleged injustices back home.

“God will rebuke you,” one protester is heard shouting.

“How can you be silent when people are languishing in prisons,” another voice adds.

The disruption briefly halted proceedings as some of the protesters were escorted out of the church.

The protest appears to be linked to recent controversial comments made by Archbishop Kaziimba, in which he defended his approach of “quiet diplomacy” rather than openly criticising government.

Speaking earlier at St John’s Church, Makerere, Kaziimba responded to comparisons with the late Archbishop Janani Luwum, who was killed during Idi Amin’s regime.

“Some people have approached me saying, ‘Why don’t you do like Janani Luwum?’… Do you think I can make an impact by being killed? Don’t I have a family?” Kaziimba said.

He added that he prefers engaging leaders privately, likening his approach to that of the biblical prophet Nathan.

National Unity Platform president Bobi Wine has been among the most vocal critics of Kaziimba’s position.

Speaking recently in the US, Bobi Wine said it was disappointing for a religious leader to admit fear in speaking truth to power.

“I have seen religious leaders saying, ‘we are not going to fight for you or the truth because the truth is terrifying,’” he said.

He argued that such a stance contradicts the example set by figures like Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.

The disruption in Boston underscores how Uganda’s political debates are increasingly playing out beyond its borders, especially within diaspora communities.