From the Pulpit to Politics: Why Spiritual Leaders in Acholi Are Joining the Race for Power.

This spiritual-political wave in Acholi is reflective of deeper frustrations with governance and moral decay. Citizens are increasingly turning to individuals they trust, pastors, priests, evangelists—not because of their theological titles, but because of their moral track records.

By Chowoo Willy

Within the very heart of the Acholi region in Uganda, a quiet but significant political shift is underway. Across villages, towns, and cities, a new type of politician is emerging, one who doesn’t only quote the law but scripture.

Across churches, prayer halls, and public squares, spiritual leaders, ‘once confined to sacred spaces’, are now throwing their hats into the political ring. From Catholic priests to born-again pastors, the pulpit is becoming a Launchpad for political ambition. This new crop of candidates, deeply rooted in theology and service, is challenging both religious tradition and the political establishment.

It’s a trend that’s both controversial and intriguing. For some, it signals hope and moral revival in Uganda’s deeply fragmented politics. For others, it raises red flags about the blurring line between the sacred and the secular.

But why now? What does this shift mean for the people of Acholi, and what are its broader implications for Uganda’s evolving democratic landscape?

A Local Reflection of a Global Tradition

Globally, the intersection between religion and politics is not new. In Europe, the Church of England was historically a governing force, with monarchs doubling as heads of the church. In the United States, clergy like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton famously merged gospel and governance. In Africa, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa used his position to lead anti-apartheid struggles, while in Nigeria, televangelist Chris Okotie made repeated bids for the presidency.

Closer to home, Uganda has also witnessed this fusion. Former Ethics Minister Rev. Fr. Simon Lokodo was a Roman Catholic priest before joining politics. And now, in Gulu City, Hon. Rev. Fr. Charles Onen stands as one of the most visible faces of this new trend.

Hon. Rev. Fr. Charles Onen, Member of Parliament (MP) for Laroo-Pece in Gulu City and a former Catholic priest, has become a high-profile example. For him, politics is simply “an extension of the pastoral ministry.”

“I had been preaching about good governance, rights, and corruption for years. Joining politics only gave me a new platform to continue that mission,” said Onen in an exclusive interview.

For Onen, the transition wasn’t easy. Without money, motorcycles, or a political godfather, he relied solely on the “spiritual capital” built during his 11-year priesthood. He had no campaign budget, no boda bodas, and no godfathers backing his political bid. Yet he won decisively, powered by years of community work and spiritual influence.

Fr. Onen placed his sole hope in God to secure the highly contested 2021 parliamentary seat in Gulu City “I used the social capital I had built—preaching, healing, and counseling. These people knew me as their shepherd, and now they trusted me with political leadership.” Now a politician, the former priest says his role in Parliament is part of fulfilling God’s mission.  “I believe the God who called me into priesthood is the same God extending my service to humanity through politics.”

The Female Voice of Faith in Politics

Pastor Concy Lagum, a teacher and evangelist, she runs Healing and Deliverance Centre Church in Gulu City, is vying for the NRM ticket to represent Gulu City as Woman MP. Her calling, she believes, transcends both pulpit and Parliament.

“Women in the markets, youths on boda stages, they kept asking, ‘Mama, help us.’ I saw unfair policies strangling the poor. I knew I had to act,” she says.

Lagum draws her political philosophy from a theological concept called the “Seven Mountains of Influence”, areas including government, media, education, and business, where God’s principles must reign.

“I don’t separate my faith from my politics,” she explains. “A nation needs God-fearing people in Parliament. Corruption thrives when moral voices are silent.”

Akello Christine, a well-known catchiest at St. Teresa Pageya Catholic Parish, is the latest spiritual voice to join the growing list of religious figures seeking political office. She has declared her intention to contest for the position of Local Council V for Awach Sub-county under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Gulu District.

Speaking with confidence and conviction, Akello says her decision is rooted in a deep desire to bring about positive transformation in her community.

“I want to serve my community. I want to see real change in our community,” she says, her voice reflecting both determination and faith.

However, her entry into politics does not come without spiritual cost. As a committed Catholic, Akello is fully aware of the demands of canon law, which requires that she relinquishes her position in the Church if she is to actively engage in partisan politics.

“I have already notified my boss about my intention, and I am preparing to meet him formally to declare my position,” she reveals, acknowledging the difficult but necessary decision to step down from her religious role.

Akello’s bid for political office highlights the increasing intersection between faith and leadership in Acholi Sub region, where spiritual leaders are increasingly stepping forward to influence change beyond the pulpit

The Pentecostal Case

A significant number of those vying for elective positions in the region are either born-again Christians or pastors affiliated with the National Fellowship of Born-Again Churches in Uganda. Among them is Pastor Lagum. Another notable figure is Ayoo Phoebe Ochan, the Gulu District local government Speaker and a pastor at Soul Gospel Ministries, who is now seeking the NRM flag to contest as the District Woman Member of Parliament in the upcoming election.

She joins Pastor Roy Olal Robert a pastor at Revival City Church, who contested for the Bardege-Layibi parliamentary seat in the 2021 elections but was unsuccessful. Another pastor, Joseph Okidi, had shown interest in contesting for the Laroo-Pece parliamentary seat but later withdrew due to personal reasons and Pastor Odongpiny Thomas – Divinor Community Church and district overseer for the born again in Gulu district.

But what is behind this influx?  Rev. Nelson Obol, City Overseer of the born again in Gulu City and a pastor at Gospel Centre Ministries and a prominent Pentecostal leader, says the influx of pastors into politics is both timely and necessary.

“When the righteous are in leadership, the people rejoice,” he quotes from Proverbs 29:2. “But we have long been ruled by those who don’t fear God, and the people groan.”

For Obol, political engagement is not a contradiction of faith—it is its fulfillment. “King David, King Solomon—they were both political and spiritual leaders. The Bible is full of such examples,” he argues.

Critics say pastors should stick to preaching, but Obol calls that view “selfish.” “Are we not citizens too?” he asks. “Let’s compete on equal ground. If a spiritual man loses, so be it. But if he wins, let him serve.”

Religion as Political Currency

Political analyst Akena Walter offers a constitutional and philosophical lens to the debate.

“There is nothing in Uganda’s Constitution that stops religious leaders from running for office—only army officers and traditional leaders are barred,” he clarifies.

Walter goes further: “Religion is the foundation of politics. The church is where people’s perceptions are shaped. If you control perception, you control power.”

He draws parallels from colonial history: “The Europeans first deployed the church, then the flag. ‘The flag follows the cross,’ they used to say.”

In Walter’s view, politics and religion have always been intertwined. “The modern state thrives on opinion management. That’s where media and church come in,” he says. “So when a religious leader enters politics, it’s not an intrusion—it’s a return.”

Still, not everyone embraces the trend. Kevin Okumu, a resident of Gulu City, expressed strong reservations. “To me, it is not proper. Their role should be to provide guidance—not to enter active politics. It feels like greed disguised as service,” he said.

Others fear this trend will erode the moral high ground the church has long held.

Rev. Willy Olango, Diocesan Secretary for Kitgum Diocese, agrees that caution is needed. “In the Anglican Church, you must resign before joining politics. We discourage partisan politics because the church must be for all,” he said.

Rev. Willy, who previously served as the District Speaker of Gulu District Local Government after resigning from the church, has now returned to his pastoral duties following his departure from political office.

For Olango, when a clergy member aligns with a political party, they risk alienating parts of their congregation and diluting their prophetic voice.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Joe Okumu Bosco, Rector at Paimol Shrine, refers to Canon Law 285, which prohibits Catholic priests from holding public office.

“When a priest becomes an MP or minister, he contravenes the very nature of his clerical calling. You are ordained not to represent a party, but to serve the moral good of society,” he stated.

Father Okumu emphasized that the priesthood demands a neutrality and moral authority that politics often undermines. “Let the believer go into politics. But the ordained priest must stay on the altar,” he said.

Rev. Olango warns of a creeping danger: the commercialization of both religion and politics. “Some of these churches operate like businesses. Once their leaders enter politics, it’s not about service—it’s about power and profit,” he says.

Indeed, the fear is that rather than spiritualizing politics, politics might secularize the church.

A New Generation of Religious Politicians

Beyond Onen and Lagum, other religious figures like Pastor Roy Olal Robert (vying for MP in Bardege-Layibi) and Pastor Thomas Odongpiny (running for LCIII chairperson in Unyama), Ayoo Phoebe Ochan (Gulu District woman MP) represent a growing cadre of clergy-turned-candidates.

“I preach Christ, not party,” says Roy Olal. “But if God’s people are suffering, and Parliament needs truth-tellers, then I will be their voice.”

His faith, he says, shapes every political decision he makes—from policies on public health to anti-corruption.

“My conscience will never allow me to support a bill that oppresses the weak or steals from the poor,” he asserts.

At the grassroots level, the trend continues with candidates like Pastor Thomas Odongpiny, who is vying for LCIII chairperson in Unyama Sub-county. According to him, the call to leadership came from the community.

“They came and told me, ‘Pastor, we trust you. We need your kind of leadership.’ So I’m not doing this for myself. I’m doing it for them,” Odongpiny shared.

His campaign emphasizes transparency, teamwork, and community-driven leadership. For him, spiritual leaders have a moral obligation to rise when society is in decay.

Bridging Sacred and Secular Worlds

For Rev. Fr. Charles Onen, reconciling political compromise with religious conviction remains a delicate balancing act. As both a Catholic priest and a Member of Parliament, Fr. Onen walks a tightrope between the pulpit and the political podium—two spheres that often demand conflicting loyalties.

His dual identity came into sharp focus during the intense parliamentary debates on the Anti-Homosexuality Amendment Bill of 2024, where he emerged as one of the most vocal and uncompromising voices. Fr. Onen spoke passionately in favor of the bill, grounding his arguments in both religious doctrine and traditional African values.

“Politics is seen as dirty. But who will sanitize it if the righteous stay away? I entered politics as gold refined by fire. I refused to be bought or used. My allegiance is to the people and to God,” he said.

Rev Fr Onen credits his popularity not to populism or cash, but to service—building bridges in flood-prone areas, dormitories for girls, and strengthening village saving groups.

Similarly, Pastor Roy Olal Robert, the current National Resistance Movement flag bearer and now contesting for the same flag in Bardege-Layibi City Division, says leadership must reflect divine values.

“If you’re a leader who fears the Lord, you cannot steal from your people. My faith does not allow me to accept corruption, injustice, or bad governance,” he noted.

His campaign blends civic advocacy with biblical principles: transparency, justice, equity, and servant leadership.

The Moral Case for Political Engagement.

Rev. Fr. Charles Onen believes the church has three cardinal responsibilities: to care for the poor, to evangelize, and to influence policy. “We cannot care for the poor if we are silent in Parliament,” he explains. “When good men stay out of politics, bad laws are passed. If the righteous don’t step up, then the wicked will.”

Pastor Concy Lagum agrees. For her, politics is one of the “mountains of the Lord” where God’s people must rise. “You cannot separate God from governance. Even in Parliament, decisions must be godly.”

Pastor Roy Olal Robert emphasizes that his faith shapes his political decisions. “My conscience does not allow me to support anything that oppresses the people. Leadership must reflect Christ’s compassion and justice.”

At the local level, Pastor Thomas Odongpiny views leadership as a community mandate. “The people called me. They said, ‘You are a man of God. Lead us with honesty.’”

Rev. Nelson Obol summarizes it best: “let us this time around try people who know God and then we’ll see what comes out. If they fail us, then we’ll definitely now know that, I think we are all equal, regardless of our religious affiliations”

Theological and Sociopolitical Reflections

Uganda has long leaned on religious leaders during national crises—from negotiating peace during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war in Northern Uganda to mediating during electoral tensions. Their credibility stems from neutrality, service, and moral integrity.

But that influence could wane if spiritual leaders become partisan actors. “Religious leaders have a prophetic role to speak truth to power,” said Rev. Olango. “But once you become the power, who will speak truth to you?”

On the other hand, proponents argue that the times have changed—and so must the methods.

“Religious leaders cannot remain confined to pulpits when their congregants are suffering. The Church must be present in the marketplace, in government, and in Parliament,” said Pastor Lagum.

Indeed, the Bible is not silent on governance. From Moses to Nehemiah, from Joseph in Egypt to Daniel in Babylon, scripture showcases spiritual leaders taking political action—albeit under divine instruction.

Navigating the Future

This spiritual-political wave in Acholi is reflective of deeper frustrations with governance and moral decay. Citizens are increasingly turning to individuals they trust, pastors, priests, evangelists—not because of their theological titles, but because of their moral track records.

As the 2026 general elections near, the Acholi sub-region is emerging as a microcosm of a national debate. The rise of spiritual leaders in politics is forcing Ugandans to rethink the roles of faith, power, and citizenship.

Will these leaders cleanse the political space, or will politics taint their spiritual calling? Will Parliament become a sanctuary for integrity or a battleground for moral confusion?

Only time—and the electorate—will tell.

But for now, one thing is clear: the line between the sacred and the civic has never been blurrier. And perhaps, never more vital.