Churches to Maintain Standard Operation Procedures as Places of Worships Reopens in Uganda

Reverend Datiro Emmanuel Ruben, Pastor in charge of Zande congregation in Uganda on Saturday, September, 26 issued guidelines to all the congregations operating in Uganda under the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Western Equatoria Internal Province as places of worships reopened in Uganda. The places of worship have remained shut throughout the country since Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ordered for lockdown in March due to COVID 19 pandemic.

 Pastor Datiro serves the ECSS Zande congregation in Kiryandongo refugees’ settlement, Zande congregation Namirembe in Kampala, and St James Salam road in Kampala while St Thomas Abriambati Zande congregation in Arua is served by Most Rev. Canon Dr. Samuel Enosa Peni, Archbishop of western Equatoria Internal Province and Bishop of the Diocese of Yambio.

 Rev. Datiro while briefing the different groups before reopening the place of worship in Arua said that the guidelines were set by the members of Inter-Faith groups based on the government’s directives.

 “There are security forces deployed by the government to move around places of worship to ensure that the COVID19 standards operation procedures are followed to the latter,’’ Rev. Datiro revealed adding that in places of worship where these standard operating procedures will be flaunted, the parish priest and key elders will be arrested as the said church risks being shut down.

 He, therefore, urged church leaders and the congregations to adhere to the ministry of health’s directives on COVID 19 standards of operating procedures so that the virus doesn’t spread through the churches. He also urged the church administration to sanitize all the chairs after any church service and limit the number of the congregation to 70 as has been set by the government.

 “You must make sure that everyone attending the prayers put on a face mask and have water and soap placed strategically at the entrance of the church for people to wash their hands before entering for the service. Also, make sure that social distance is maintained in the church,’’ Pastor Datiro advised.

 He also urged the Church administration to take the temperatures of all people entering the church to ensure that those with high temperatures, a symptom of COVID 19 are not allowed to get in.

 Rev. Datiro Emmanuel donated to St Thomas Arua, hand washing sanitizer and Thermometer temperature gun for screening all the congregation before entering the place of worship.

“We also have plans to open more churches in the Ugandan refugees’ settlement in order to share the fruits of faith with more refugees,” he intimated.

By :Gaaniko Samson Jerry