The Soroti Catholic Diocese has issued pastoral guidance to all its parishes and clergy ahead of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary elections scheduled for Thursday, 17th July.
In a statement released on Saturday evening, the Vicar General of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Robert Ecogu, addressed all priests in the diocese with instructions aimed at ensuring smooth participation in both civic and spiritual obligations.
“Greetings, Rev. Fathers! NRM elections (primaries) will fall on Thursday 17th, our Diocesan day of Adoration. The time for voting (by lining) will be between 9am and midday,” the letter read in part.
The Vicar General directed all priests to make public announcements in their respective churches advising Christians to prioritize voting early at their designated polling stations before proceeding to the churches for the planned Diocesan Adoration.
“PSE [Please] make announcements in all our churches that Christians first report to vote at their respective stations at 9am, then come for Adoration thereafter,” he instructed.
The NRM primaries are a major internal party process in which members vote by lining behind their preferred candidates for various positions ranging from parliamentary flag bearers to local government leaders.
The party has set the polling window from 9am to midday on Thursday, in line with its guidelines to reduce congestion and ensure transparency.
The Soroti Catholic Diocese’s intervention seeks to harmonize the electoral exercise with the religious program already planned for the same day.
Thursday is designated across the diocese as a day of Adoration, a solemn period of prayer and devotion observed monthly in all parishes.
By advising parishioners to vote first before attending Adoration, the diocesan leadership aims to avoid potential conflicts in scheduling and ensure maximum participation in both civic duty and spiritual life.
Several Christians have welcomed the communication as a sign of responsible leadership, balancing faith commitments with national obligations.
The diocese’s guidelines are expected to reach tens of thousands of faithful spread across multiple parishes in Soroti District and the wider Teso sub-region.
The NRM electoral commission has also urged local party leaders to coordinate with communities and religious institutions to facilitate orderly voting.
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