Adjumani RDC Orders Suspension of Church Activities in Nyumanzi Refugee Settlement Over Jurisdiction Row

Tensions among refugee worshippers in Nyumanzi Refugee Settlement have prompted Adjumani District authorities to suspend all church activities in the area for two weeks, following disagreements between rival pastors over ecclesiastical allegiance.

The directive was issued during a heated community meeting chaired by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Adjumani, Peter Taban Data, on June 11, 2025.

The meeting was attended by over 50 participants, including refugee pastors from various settlements in the district, senior security officials, and government stakeholders.

RDC Taban confirmed that the decision stemmed from growing tensions between pastors aligned with bishops from South Sudan and those under Uganda’s Madi and West Nile Diocese.

The feuding parties were identified mainly among Dinka community members, with pastors of St. John and St. Mark churches at the centre of the conflict.

“We cannot allow a situation where church becomes a source of division and instability in the settlement. Therefore, all church activities are hereby suspended in Nyumanzi for two weeks,” RDC Taban declared.

He emphasized that only churches officially baptized and recognized by bishops from the Madi and West Nile Diocese would be allowed to operate, and that all pastors must be formally appointed by Ugandan diocesan authorities.

Taban further warned against unauthorized cross-border religious influence.

“No bishop from South Sudan shall conduct any church activities within Uganda without express permission from the relevant Ugandan authorities,” he cautioned.

Superintendent of Police Collins Asea, the police spokesperson for West Nile region, confirmed that security agencies were concerned about the rising friction among congregants.

“We have noticed increasing friction among congregants, some of which has the potential to escalate into violence. Suspending church activities is a preventive measure to give room for reconciliation and reorganization,” SP Asea explained.

Adjumani District Police Commander, SSP Dick Ayesigomwe, also backed the suspension and reminded religious leaders of the need to operate within Uganda’s laws.

“Any individual or group wishing to establish a church, especially outside the Anglican denomination, must first register with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB),” SSP Ayesigomwe stated.

“This is not persecution—it’s about ensuring law and order in a very delicate refugee setting.”

He added that pastors involved in instigating conflict would be relieved of their roles to pave the way for unity.

The Madi and West Nile Diocese has been tasked with convening a reconciliation meeting for all refugee pastors to foster dialogue, education, and healing.

RDC Taban concluded by urging all stakeholders to avoid forming factions, stating: “The church should be a place of worship and healing, not a battlefield for supremacy and division.