Whether you are someone of religious faith or of no faith, I invite everyone to hold the people of Uganda in your thoughts and hearts and in the Light as they face the violence and challenges of the last three weeks leading up to the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections to be held on 15th January 2026.

Whatever our religious beliefs, I invite people of goodwill around the world to join together and hold Uganda in our hearts and thoughts and lift them into the Light. You might find it helpful to kneel (a sign of humility and pleading), hold a cross (a sign of pain and grief) or place a light or candle in front of you. Actions often speak louder than words and express feelings which you cannot put into words. If you want to use words, I suggest we join together to use what is widely known as The Lord’s Prayer whilst holding Ugandans in our hearts.

When asked by his disciples how to pray (surely a question many of us are asking), Jesus said they should use these words:

Our Father in Heaven,

You can replace “Our Father” by “Allah”, “YahWeh”, “Being above all beings”, “Creator” – or even “God, if you exist”……  We can then acknowledge that Heaven is a state of being in the presence of God, a place and time of peace and love where all things are made new and perfect once again.

Hallowed be your Name.

We come in humility, acknowledging that God / Allah / YahWeh is Holy – and his name is Holy.

Your Kingdom come, your Will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Uganda is a country where justice, democracy and freedom of speech are under threat and being suppressed violently every day. The Opposition is committed to peaceful and non-violent resistance as taught in sacred texts (especially the Koran and the Bible) and as lived out by inspirational leaders, such as Mahatma Gandhi (a Hindu, some of whose ashes were scattered in the Source of the Nile at Jinja, in Uganda). There is a longing in Uganda for change: for a Kingdom of Peace where there is freedom, equality, justice, unity; for the country to be restored, a country where God’s perfect will is done.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Uganda is a country rich in natural resources, enough for everyone. But corruption, which is rife at every level of society, is possibly the biggest issue in Uganda. “Corruption keeps people in poverty”. There is gross inequality. So many don’t even get one good meal a day – and yet there is enough for everyone.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

No one is perfect – we all need forgiveness. But perhaps the hardest aspect of receiving forgiveness is forgiving those who sin against us. There are so many people in Uganda who have been grievously sinned against, through corruption, injustice, torture, oppression, inequality……  How does one forgive an individual or a regime for heinous crimes to yourself, your family, your tribe, your country, when there have been years of suffering and death, poverty and lost opportunities? Most of us can only manage to forgive with the help of some power outside and greater than ourselves, the power of love. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness to abound in Uganda.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Uganda has the youngest population in the world. About 80% were born after Museveni came to power through armed conflict in 1986. He had earlier lost the 1980 elections due, he claims, to vote rigging. Having seized power in January 1986, he has remained in power ever since – due to illegal changes to the constitution and rigged elections every 5 years. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Having power puts real temptation in the way.  May those in power at any level (in families, communities, education, politics, governance, security) avoid temptation so that the people of Uganda are saved from evil.

Amen. 

“Amen” is a declaration of affirmation from Hebrew, meaning “Let it be so“.  It signifies strong agreement, confirmation, or a pledge of faith, rooted in concepts of truth, reliability and certainty. It’s more than just a word; it’s a powerful “YES” to what has been said and thought, invoking God, Allah, the Spirit, YahWeh to act, and also binding ourselves to the thoughts and words spoken.

Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive others. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. AMEN.

You might also want to use the first verse of Uganda’s National Anthem, which is another prayer:

Oh, Uganda! May God uphold thee,
We lay our future in thy hand;
United, free for liberty,
together we’ll always stand.