The Catholic Church in Amuria District has organized special prayers seeking justice and divine intervention following the mysterious disappearance of Amuria Woman Member of Parliament Margaret Etilu.
Etilu reportedly went missing just days after taking the parliamentary oath in Kampala. Unconfirmed reports claim that she was arrested from the residence of former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, although both the Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces have consistently denied holding her in custody.
The prayers were conducted in several Catholic churches across Amuria District as concern continues to grow among residents and leaders over the legislator’s whereabouts.
Rev. Fr. Samuel Ebietu, the Parish Priest of St. Michael Catholic Church Wera and Diocesan Pastoral Coordinator for Soroti Catholic Diocese, said the church leadership approved the prayer gatherings after receiving concerns from the community.
According to Fr. Ebietu, the disappearance of the legislator has caused fear and anxiety among the people who elected her to office.
He explained that the Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Joseph Eciru Oliach, authorized special prayers and adoration sessions across the district dedicated to Etilu’s safety and return.
Fr. Ebietu noted that priests throughout the diocese were directed to include special intentions for the MP during church services, expressing hope that divine intervention would help uncover the truth surrounding her disappearance.
He added that the church has joined residents in demanding that Etilu be released and allowed to resume her duties as the elected representative of Amuria District.
The priest further condemned what he described as unlawful detention beyond the constitutional 48-hour limit, saying no information has been provided about the MP’s whereabouts or whether she has appeared before any court of law.
Fr. Ebietu compared the incident to previous cases where individuals allegedly disappeared for weeks before security agencies admitted detaining them. He urged government authorities to respect the law and ensure that suspects are produced before court within the stipulated time.
He also appealed to national leaders to promote dialogue instead of what he called unnecessary arrests and abductions.
Former Kasilo parliamentary candidate Peter Carlos Ebiau joined the faithful during the prayers and called for transparency regarding Etilu’s disappearance.
Ebiau said he had known Etilu for more than two decades and described her as a vocal leader who strongly valued Teso culture and community service.
He warned against a return to Uganda’s dark political history where people allegedly disappeared after being arrested by state agencies.
According to Ebiau, family members and supporters have spent nearly two weeks moving between police stations and military detention facilities in search of answers, but no institution has admitted knowledge of Etilu’s whereabouts.
He challenged leaders from the Teso sub-region and the Teso Parliamentary Group to demand accountability and insist that the MP be produced in court if she is under arrest.
Etilu’s mother, Tika Akello, emotionally recounted how she learned about her daughter’s disappearance.
Akello said she was initially instructed to travel to Soroti for a meeting without being informed about its purpose. It was only after persistent questioning that she was told her daughter had gone missing.
She described Etilu as a peaceful and prayerful person who had long dreamt of serving her community through leadership.
According to Akello, her daughter consulted the family before joining politics after completing her studies, expressing a desire to serve the people of Amuria.
She revealed that the last time she saw Etilu was during the swearing-in ceremony at Parliament, and since then the family has had no information about her whereabouts.
Akello appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to intervene and help establish what happened to the legislator, noting that the family has remained loyal to the ruling National Resistance Movement for many years.
Residents also turned up in large numbers for the prayers.
Christine Agemo, one of the residents who attended the gathering, said many people initially dismissed reports about Etilu’s disappearance as mere rumors until church leaders announced district-wide prayers.
Agemo noted that believers from different denominations, including the Church of Uganda, united in solidarity to pray for the missing MP’s safe return.
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