Religion in Uganda

Religious affiliation in Uganda

Affiliation	1991 census	2002 census
Christian	85.4%	85.2%
Catholic	44.5%	41.9%
Church of Uganda (Anglican)	39.2%	35.9%
Pentecostal	-	4.6%
Seventh-day Adventist	1.1%	1.5%
Orthodox Christian	<0.1%	0.1%
Other Christian	0.6%	1.2%
Muslim	10.5%	12.1%
Traditional	-	1.0%
Baha'i	-	0.1%
None	-	0.9%
Other non-Christian	4.0%	0.7%
Notes

Uganda is a predominantly Christian country with a significant (about 12%) Muslim minority. The Northern and West Nile regions are dominated by Roman Catholics and Iganga District in the east of the country has the highest percentage of Muslims. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Uganda Constitution but religions are expected to be registered with the government and some religions considered cults are restricted. The Catholic Church, the Church of Uganda, Orthodox Church, and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) are registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act and most other religious groups are registered yearly as Non-Government Organizations.

Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Christmas are recognized national holidays.

The National Census of October 2002 resulted in the clearest and most detailed information yet gathered on the religious composition of Uganda.

History

Muslim traders and Christian missionaries first arrived in the 1860s, attempting to convert the Ugandan king.^{[citation needed]}

Christianity

Church in Entebbe, Uganda

Main articles: Roman Catholicism in Uganda, Church of Uganda, and Orthodox Christianity in Uganda

According to the National Census of October 2002, Christians of all denominations made up 85.1% of Uganda's population. The Catholic Church has the largest number of adherents (41.9% of the total population), followed by the Anglican Church of Uganda, a part of the worldwide Anglican communion (35.9%). There are numerous Pentecostal churches (4.6%), while 1.0% were grouped under the category "Other Christians".

Jehovah's Witnesses operate in Uganda under the name International Bible Students Association and are working in a total of ten languages, including Swahili and Luganda. Followers of William M. Branham and Branhamism claim numbers in the tens of thousands, thanks in large part to translation and distribution efforts by Voice of God Recordings.

Mormonism has grown slowly in Uganda. The first Ugandan to join the church was Charles Osinde, who was baptized in Scotland and returned to his homeland. The first small congregation was organized in Kampala, and by the beginning of 2010 the church had 7,000 members. The LDS Church has assisted in humanitarian efforts in Uganda for victims of fighting between political factions. The first LDS chapel was built in Kololo, and the first stake was organized in January 2010. The church's missionary efforts are based in Nakawa.

The New Apostolic Church and Seventh-Day Adventists both have substantial followings.^{[citation needed]}

The Society of Friends has two yearly meetings, Uganda Yearly Meeting, part of Friends United Meeting and Evangelical Friends Church and about 3,000 members between the two in 2001.

Islam

Main article: Islam in Uganda

Kibuli mosque in Kampala, Uganda

According to the National Census 2002, 12.1% of Ugandans adhere to Islam. Most Muslims are Sunni.

Indigenous beliefs

About 1% of Uganda's population follow traditional religions only; however, more practice traditional religious practices along with other religions such as Christianity or Islam. One survey in 2010 showed that about 27% of Ugandans believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm.

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in Uganda

Only 0.7% of Uganda's population are classified as 'Other Non-Christians,' including Hindus. The numbers were probably larger before the expulsion of most Ugandans of Asian descent in 1972 (see Expulsion of Asians from Uganda).

Judaism

Main article: Judaism in Uganda

Judaism is also practiced in Uganda by a small number of native Ugandans known to most people as the Abayudaya. However, due to their small population size, estimated as of 2009 at 1,100, many Ugandans are not aware of this Jewish presence. Formerly numbering as many as 3,000 individuals, the community drastically shrank in size to 300 when Idi Amin came to power and outlawed Judaism, destroying all the synagogues in the country. Since then, the community has grown in size and strength, constructing five synagogues in various communities and establishing links to Jews worldwide. They operate several schools which enroll Muslim, Jewish and Christian students.^{[citation needed]}

Besides the Abayudaya there are an estimated 100 (un-organized) expatriate Jews of Israeli, South African and American origin residing in Uganda, mainly in Kampala.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Bahá'í Faith in Uganda

Bahá'í House of Worship, Kampala, Uganda

The Bahá'í Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Bahá'ís in 80 localities, including 13 Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9 pioneers to other African locations. Following the reign of Idi Amin when the Bahá'í Faith was banned and the murder of Bahá'í Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga and his family, the community continues to grow though estimates of the population range widely from 19,000 to 105,000 and the community's involvements have included diverse efforts to promote the welfare of the Ugandan people. One of only seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship in the World, known as Mother Temple of Africa, is located on the outskirts of Kampala.

No religion

Only 0.9% of Ugandans claim no religion. The Uganda Humanist Association (UHASSO) is a member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union and has been registered since 1996.

References

[1]

See also

• Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God
• Holy Spirit Movement
• Church of Uganda
• Jews and Judaism in Africa