Rev Canon Richard Ongom
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Government has finally pronounced itself on the Abim Church fight, with police considering affray charges against both Rev Canon Richard Ongom and Waimer Ward LCII chairman Innocent Oyoo following a violent fistfight that disrupted a Sunday service at All Saints Church of Uganda.
The confrontation occurred on September 27, 2026, inside the church sanctuary in Abim Town Council, turning a worship service into a physical confrontation that forced congregants to intervene.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the matter had been formally reported and investigators were examining the circumstances before deciding whether both men should be charged or whether one should be treated as the victim.
“Regarding a religious leader who was in church in Abim and entered into an altercation with an individual and a very ugly situation ensued… they boxed each other and one later showed marks of a bite,” Rusoke said.
He said police were considering an affray charge, which applies where two people engage in a fight in a public place.
“This matter has been registered with the police. I still need to establish the exact charge, whether they are going to open up charges of affray,” Rusoke said.
“This means that two individuals get into a fight and both of them are charged for fighting in public.”
Rusoke said investigators could also conclude that circumstances warranted charging only one participant while treating the other as a victim.
The confrontation reportedly began when Oyoo entered the altar area seeking to make what he described as an urgent security announcement concerning local security and the distribution of mosquito nets.
Oyoo said he had been asked by security officials to relay the information to worshippers and only requested two minutes to address the congregation.
He claimed that Ongom stopped him and that the disagreement quickly escalated.
“I only requested two minutes, but the Reverend acted irrationally, as if he had prior issues with me. If I acted wrong in any way, it was purely in self-defence,” Oyoo said.
Ongom, however, said Oyoo had no permission to address the congregation and that the service had already been organised around specific speakers.
The retired clergyman, who serves on contract in the Diocese of North Karamoja, said the service was dedicated to Uganda Christian University, with visiting staff and the headteacher of Abim Secondary School scheduled to speak.
“He approached me as we were starting the service, demanding to speak to the congregation. As a church leader, I advised him that it was impossible,” Ongom said.
Ongom maintained that people seeking to address worshippers should approach the church administration at least two days before the service so that the intended message can be reviewed.
The disagreement nevertheless escalated into a physical fight, with video footage circulating on social media showing the two men exchanging blows before congregants separated them.
Oyoo later displayed an injury on his shoulder, which he alleged resulted from Ongom biting him during the confrontation.
Police have since opened investigations, with both parties expected to provide accounts of what happened. Ongom has already recorded a statement, while investigators are expected to obtain Oyoo’s statement before making a decision on the charges.
Police have also issued Police Form 3 medical evaluation forms as part of the investigation into the alleged injuries.
The possible affray charges have brought renewed attention to the conduct expected within places of worship and the boundaries between church authority and public officials seeking to address congregations.
The Church of Uganda has separately opened an internal inquiry into the incident.
In a statement issued through the North Karamoja Diocese, the church acknowledged that liturgical procedures place the presiding priest in charge of the order of worship. However, the church also stressed that such authority does not justify violence or physical confrontation.
The Rt Rev Simon Akol Aisu has also issued a pastoral communication urging local leaders and clergy to respect the sanctity of church premises as administrative and pastoral processes continue.
The Church of Uganda provincial secretariat said it was concerned by the footage of the confrontation and would establish what happened before taking “relevant administrative and pastoral measures”.
The police investigation will now determine whether the two men, one of them a religious leader and the other a local government official, will jointly face affray charges or whether responsibility for the public fight will be assigned to one participant.
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