This Bible's no good. I want my money back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYwOXIQh424&feature=related
3 Missing Words That Made Jesus a Sinner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56D0lvZzEf8&NR=1
They Took Out Jesus' Words!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwUSA7jPGsA&NR=1
LOOK What's Missing in Your Bible!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUoUeYi7ya4&feature=related
Oprah Winfrey: Jesus came to show us the christ consiousness..can you imagine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM5ILOsHLnw&feature=related
The Church of Oprah Exposed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA&feature=related
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Pope says Belgian church sex abuse raids deplorable; stresses justice but also church autonomy
Pope says Belgian church sex abuse raids deplorable; stresses justice but also church autonomy
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-vatican-belgium,0,1426221.story?track=rss
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI lashed out Sunday at what he called the "deplorable" raids carried out by Belgian police who detained bishops, confiscated computers, opened a crypt and took church documents as part of an investigation into priestly sex abuse.
Benedict made a rare personal entry into the escalating diplomatic dispute with Belgium, issuing a message of solidarity to the head of the Belgian bishops' conference and other bishops who were detained in the June 24 raid.
He said justice must take its course, but also asserted the right of the Catholic Church to investigate clerical abuse alongside civil law enforcement authorities.
It was first time the pope himself had commented on the raids, and his message to Monsignor Andre Joseph Leonard capped a daily ratcheting up of the Vatican's criticism. On Saturday, the No. 2 Vatican official said the raids were unprecedented even under communism.
Belgium's justice minister defended the searches on Sunday, saying the bishops were treated normally and that the search warrant was fully legitimate.
In the raids, police searched the home and former office of former Archbishop Godfried Danneels, taking documents and his personal computer, just as the country's nine bishops were starting their monthly meeting. The men were held for nine hours and — along with diocese staff — had to surrender their cell phones.
In addition, police opened at least one tomb of a prelate — a violation that has particularly galled the Vatican.
Police and prosecutors have not said if Danneels is suspected of abuse himself or simply had records pertaining to allegations against another person.
Separately, police seized the records of an independent panel investigating sexual abuse by priests, some 500 cases in all. The head of the panel called the raid a huge violation of the privacy of people — mostly men now in their 60s and 70s — who have lived with the shame of abuse.
Benedict said he wanted to write to Belgium's bishops "at this sad moment" to express his solidarity "for the surprising and deplorable way in which the searches were conducted." He noted that the monthly meeting of the bishops was set to discuss clerical abuse.
Belgium's Catholic Church has been stunned following the resignation in April of its longest-serving bishop, Roger Vangheluwe, who stepped down after admitting to having sexually abused a young boy during the time Danneels was archbishop.
The revelation came as hundreds of cases of abuse were being reported across Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, exposing cover-ups by bishops and evidence of long-standing Vatican inaction to stop it.
In his message Sunday, Benedict stressed that such crimes are handled by both civil and canon law "respecting their reciprocal specificity and autonomy."
"In that sense, I hope that justice takes its course, guaranteeing the fundamental rights of people and institutions with respect to the victims, recognizing without prejudice all those who are committed to collaborating with justice and refuting all that which seeks to obscure its noble goals," he wrote.
The Belgian justice minister, Stefaan De Clerck, stressed that the procedures used in the raids were correct and that the bishops were treated normally, according to the Belga news agency. He bristled at the criticism by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican No. 2, saying his suggestion that the raids were unprecedented even under communism had been excessive, based on false information.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-vatican-belgium,0,1426221.story?track=rss
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI lashed out Sunday at what he called the "deplorable" raids carried out by Belgian police who detained bishops, confiscated computers, opened a crypt and took church documents as part of an investigation into priestly sex abuse.
Benedict made a rare personal entry into the escalating diplomatic dispute with Belgium, issuing a message of solidarity to the head of the Belgian bishops' conference and other bishops who were detained in the June 24 raid.
He said justice must take its course, but also asserted the right of the Catholic Church to investigate clerical abuse alongside civil law enforcement authorities.
It was first time the pope himself had commented on the raids, and his message to Monsignor Andre Joseph Leonard capped a daily ratcheting up of the Vatican's criticism. On Saturday, the No. 2 Vatican official said the raids were unprecedented even under communism.
Belgium's justice minister defended the searches on Sunday, saying the bishops were treated normally and that the search warrant was fully legitimate.
In the raids, police searched the home and former office of former Archbishop Godfried Danneels, taking documents and his personal computer, just as the country's nine bishops were starting their monthly meeting. The men were held for nine hours and — along with diocese staff — had to surrender their cell phones.
In addition, police opened at least one tomb of a prelate — a violation that has particularly galled the Vatican.
Police and prosecutors have not said if Danneels is suspected of abuse himself or simply had records pertaining to allegations against another person.
Separately, police seized the records of an independent panel investigating sexual abuse by priests, some 500 cases in all. The head of the panel called the raid a huge violation of the privacy of people — mostly men now in their 60s and 70s — who have lived with the shame of abuse.
Benedict said he wanted to write to Belgium's bishops "at this sad moment" to express his solidarity "for the surprising and deplorable way in which the searches were conducted." He noted that the monthly meeting of the bishops was set to discuss clerical abuse.
Belgium's Catholic Church has been stunned following the resignation in April of its longest-serving bishop, Roger Vangheluwe, who stepped down after admitting to having sexually abused a young boy during the time Danneels was archbishop.
The revelation came as hundreds of cases of abuse were being reported across Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, exposing cover-ups by bishops and evidence of long-standing Vatican inaction to stop it.
In his message Sunday, Benedict stressed that such crimes are handled by both civil and canon law "respecting their reciprocal specificity and autonomy."
"In that sense, I hope that justice takes its course, guaranteeing the fundamental rights of people and institutions with respect to the victims, recognizing without prejudice all those who are committed to collaborating with justice and refuting all that which seeks to obscure its noble goals," he wrote.
The Belgian justice minister, Stefaan De Clerck, stressed that the procedures used in the raids were correct and that the bishops were treated normally, according to the Belga news agency. He bristled at the criticism by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican No. 2, saying his suggestion that the raids were unprecedented even under communism had been excessive, based on false information.
Friday, 18 June 2010
Museveni turns to God in fight against corruption
Museveni turns to God in fight against corruption
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/941300/-/x1cqtq/-/index.html
Following widespread corruption, President Museveni has declared June 21, a day for prayer at the Kololo Airstrip, Kampala. The day will be used to ask God for forgiveness and pray for the country’s repentance.
Mr Museveni, in a press statement read for him by the Minister for the Presidency, Dr Beatrice Wabudeya, asked Ugandans to pray for the same cause. “Not withstanding the stability we have enjoyed for the last 24 years, there are things that have gone against our expectation… Like embezzlement, illicit enrichment and misuse of public funds,” the statement reads.
“We shall gather together for a special day of prayer and repentance so that we may thank God and seek his mercy and forgiveness for this great chosen nation.”
He added: “Ugandans who may not be able to come to Kololo may gather in convenient places within their locations for the same purpose on that day.”
The national prayers are expected to attract all regardless of political or religious affiliation. Ms Wabudeya was accompanied by Ethics Minister James Nsaba Buturo.
Human rights activists said although the country urgently needs the prayers, the government also has failed in some areas. Mr Livingstone Sewanyana, the executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, said praying to God is one thing and doing what God expects of us is another.
Mr Museveni cautioned that Uganda risks losing out on God’s blessings for if disobedience prevails “on the other hand, we stand to gain if, we obey God.”
The President cites bribery, human sacrifice, sexual perversion, witchcraft and misuse of funds as some of the immoral things that have affected the country.
National prayers set for Sunday
Thursday, 17th June, 2010,
By Henry Mukasa
http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/723079
WITH so much sin taking place in the country, the President has declared
Sunday, June 20, a national day of prayer and repentance.
The President said in a statement that while God has blessed the country
with peace, security, democracy and economic growth, Ugandans are indulging
in immoral acts that might lead to God’s furry. He cited corruption, sexual
perversion, human sacrifice and witchcraft as some of the immoral acts
rampant these days.
“These and other acts, which have been or are being committed, have not
pleased God. We risk losing out on God’s blessings for this nation if we
choose to disobey Him,” President Yoweri Museveni warned.
The statement was read out to the press by the minister for the presidency,
Beatrice Wabudeya, at the Uganda Media Centre yesterday. “This (prayer) is
so that together we may thank God and seek his mercy and forgiveness for
this great and chosen nation,” Museveni explained.
Wabudeya played down concerns that the call for prayer was admittance that
the legal regime had failed to curb crime and the nation had turned to God’s
mercy.
“Uganda is a God-fearing country and it’s in our Motto and National Anthem.
For what we do and miss, God has a role. He also chooses leaders,”
Wabudeya explained. The minister said outrageous acts like defilement of
two-year-olds and ritual murders were so alarming.
“When that happens, don’t you think someone has gone berserk? It’s not that
we are desperate for a solution. We need that spiritual healing.”
Wabudeya observed that while in her youth, the Ten Commandments of God were
followed and people feared to touch what was not theirs.These days, “people
are stealing with impunity.”
Ethics and Integrity minister Dr James Nsaba Buturo rebuked journalists, who
had expected a big political announcement from State House, for perception
that a day of national prayer was not big-time news.
He pointed out that the founders of this country made a covenant with God,
which is re-echoed every time the national anthem is sang and the motto is
recited.
“If you believe there’s no God, that is your personal view. We want to go
before our maker and say ‘God help, we deserve to be better, but we need
your assistance,” Buturo implored.
He was supported by Wabudeya, who said in the dynamic life, one is liable to
fall short before the glory of God.
“We are going to put aside our political differences and pray.”
The national day of prayer and repentance will be inter-denominational. It
will not be an annual event.
According to Wabudeya, Parliament passed a resolution for national prayer
days. These are on top of prayer breakfast held annually on October 8th,
before the independence anniversary.
Below is the President's statement in full.
Fellow Ugandans, brothers a and sisters: For the last 24 years, Uganda has
had stability and enjoyed a considerable period of prosperity. During this
period, very critical and important achievements have been made or realised.
They include; peace, security and rapid economic growth. Life expectancy has
risen, literacy levels have risen, infant mortality has fallen, national
revenue has risen a thousand-fold, road network and general infrastructure
has greatly improved, investment climate has become favourable and there is
democracy.
We have also recorded impressive achievements in areas such as health and
education. We thank god for all this.
All this notwithstanding, there are a number of things that have gone against our expectation.
For example, some Ugandans have involved themselves in immoral acts such as
idolatry, sexual perversion, human sacrifice, bribery, witchcraft,
embezzlement, illicit enrichment and misuse of public funds.
These and other acts, which have been or are being committed, have not
pleased God. We, therefore, run the risk of losing out on God’s blessings
for this nation if we choose to disobey Him. On the other hand, we stand to
gain if we obey God.
And as we read in Deuteronomy, 28:12:“The Lord will open to you his good
treasury the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to
bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but
you shall not borrow.”
Accordingly, I have declared that on Sunday June 20, 2010, at 9:00am at
Kololo Independence Ground, we shall gather together for a special day of
prayer and repentance. This is so that together we may thank God and seek
his mercy and forgiveness for this great and chosen nation.
I now call upon Ugandans of all persuasions and all friends of Uganda living
in this country and abroad to accept this invitation to come before God for
prayer and repentance.
Ugandans who may not be able to come to Kololo may gather in convenient
places within their locations for the same purpose on that day.
For God and my country.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
Ecumenical National Council of Churches in Kenya Holds govt. responsible for grenade attach
We Hold the Government Responsible
http://www.ncck.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170:we-hold-the-government-responsible&catid=43:news&Itemid=29
Monday, 14 June 2010 17:16 | Author: NCCK Communications
We hold Government Responsible
PRESS STATEMENT
1. Introduction
We the Christian church leaders in Kenya condemn the dastardly attack of peaceful Christians during the prayer rally held yesterday at Uhuru Park. The detonation of two explosive devices among the praying congregants led to the deaths of seven people and injury of more than a hundred.
We pray for all those who were injured that they will recover quickly, and for the comfort of the families who lost their loved ones. We send our condolences to the families of these martyrs who died for attending a rally to make their position clear. God is with you, and the martyrdom of your loved ones will not be in vain. We shall always hold these dear one close in our hearts and our prayers.
Jesus in The Holy Bible said these words: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18: 20). We state here categorically that this attack was an affront on God Himself, and He will, in His own ways, deal with the perpetrators. We especially remind those who planned and detonated those devices the words of Genesis 9: 6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
As we stand here, there are indications that the emergency response by the Kenyatta National Hospital has been below the expectations of both the victims and the church leaders. While we appreciate the constraints of the hospital, we appeal for all necessary interventions by the Ministry of Medical Services in order to save lives and minimize suffering.
2. Pre-Meditated Attack
Appreciating that the same group of Christians have held gospel crusades at the same venue in the past without similar incidents, we are in no doubt that the bomb attacks are directly connected to the proposed new constitution. We indeed consider that the attack was a pre-meditated aggress on democracy; a cowardly act seemingly aimed at scaring Kenyans from expressing their right to oppose the proposed constitution.
Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution during the referendum is a government project, we are left in no doubt that the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack. Who else in this country holds explosive devices?
We also note with sadness that the police did not provide security at the rally as required in the law. Even worse, the police did not arrive at the scene until one hour after the explosions.
We therefore hold the government and the Yes team responsible for the attack and for the blood that was shed unless they prove to Kenyans that someone else planted and detonated the devices. The government has the responsibility of providing security and pre-empting and punishing crime.
3. Call for Restraint
On our part, we shall not be intimidated. We shall continue mobilizing and educating Kenyans so that they reject the draft constitution at the referendum. This draft constitution is its own greatest enemy, and all what is required is to open it up to Kenyans and they reject it.
What is in this draft constitution that some are willing to kill innocent Kenyans to make it pass?
Recognizing that Uhuru Park during the time of the attack was dedicated as an altar to God upon which prayers were offered, the shedding of blood was an unfortunate defilement. We therefore urge all Christian Church Leaders to congregate at the venue on Tuesday 15th June 2010 at 12:00 noon for prayers to cleanse the venue and pray for security of those who attend future meetings thereon.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, we urge all God-fearing Kenyans to remember the words of 2 Corinthians 4: 8 – 11: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.†Let us all stand firm in what we believe and defend the faith of the one who gave His life for us; and if need be, we shall also give our lives for Him.
The threats of violence shall never cow us into embracing injustice in our land.
Signed on this 14th day of June 2010 at Uhuru Park on behalf of the Kenya Christian Church Leaders.
Rev Canon Peter Karanja
Chairman
General Secretary, NCCK
On behalf of the organizations represented in the meeting:
Anglican Church of Kenya
Bible Way Restoration Ministries
Chrisco Fellowship
Christ is the Answer Ministries
Christian Lawyers’ Fellowship
Deliverance Church
Fellowship of Evangelical Independent Christian Churches of Kenya
Friends Church in Kenya
Kenya Assemblies of God
Kenya Christian Constitutional Forum
Living Waters
National Council of Churches of Kenya
Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa
Redeemed Gospel Church
Reformed Church of East Africa
Last Updated ( Monday, 14 June 2010 17:30 )
4th Memorandum to Committee of Experts
Thursday, 03 December 2009 00:00 | Author: NCCK Communications |
http://www.ncck.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145:memo&catid=55:publications&Itemid=108
The 4th Memorandum
Presented by the
National Council of Churches of Kenya
to the
Committee of Experts for the Constitution of Kenya Review Process
Pursuant to section 23(c) of the
Constitution of Kenya Review Act No 9 of 2008
After studying and analysing the Harmonised Draft Constitution of Kenya, the Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya is pleased to make the following proposals for consideration by the Committee of Experts:
CHAPTER TWO
Article 5 states that the territory of Kenya shall be defined by international law. We propose that the draft defines the territory of Kenya either in the constitution or in an Act of Parliament for avoidance of doubt.
CHAPTER THREE - NATIONAL VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND GOALS
The values stated in the draft are mixed up with goals and principles. The values are also stated as if they belong to state and public officers. We propose that the Chapter is re-written so that values, principles and goals be separated and stated in a clear way. The values should also be stated in a way that they can apply and inspire all Kenyans.
CHAPTER SIX - THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Article 33 provides for limitation of the Bill of Rights. One of the limitations in clause (4) limits the application of the Bill of Rights with regard to equality to facilitate implementation of the Islamic faith. The limitation is inconsistent with Article 10 of the draft constitution as it allows persons belonging to the Islamic religion to violate the Bill of Rights. We propose that Article 33(4) be deleted so that all Kenyan are subject to the Bill of Rights without exception.
Article 35 does not define what the term "life" means. Such a position may open the door for abortion and so called mercy killing (euthanasia) to be constitutional and legal. For avoidance of doubt as to whether the unborn child is a person or not, we propose that Article 35(3) reads as follows:
(3) "The life of a person begins at conception and ends at natural death".
Article 41 on the rights of children does not include the right to be born. In order to protect the unborn child, we propose that that a new Article 41(l) is inserted to read as follows:
(l) "To be born".
Article 42 provides for the right to found a family and to marry. In our view the definition of the parties to a marriage is not clear. We propose that Article 42(2) and (3) be deleted and a new Article 42(2) and (3) be inserted to read as follows:
(2) "Every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex based upon the free consent of the parties; and has a right to found a family".
(3) "A person shall not marry another person of the same sex".
Article 49 provides for the right to religion and opinion. Article 49 has omitted the right to propagate one's religion and the right to convert to another religion. We propose that a new Article 49(3) be inserted to read as follows :
(3) "Every one has a right to propagate or convert from one religion to another".
Article 49(5) provides for the right of access to any institution or facility without any discrimination on the basis of one's religion. We take great exception to these provisions particularly with regard to institutions and facilities established for the purpose of propagating a religion of faith. We propose that a new clause (6) is inserted immediately after clause 5 to read as follows:
(5) "Clause (5) shall not apply to institutions and facilities that are established solely or partly for religious purposes".
CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE LEGISLATURE
Article 123 does not provide for the hierarchy of Parliament. We propose that the Senate be the Upper House and the National Assembly be the Lower House. The Lower House would be known as the National Assembly and the Upper House as the Senate. The new Article 123 should read as follows:
"There is established a Parliament of Kenya which shall consist of the Upper House which shall be referred to as the Senate and the Lower House which shall be referred to as the National Assembly".
Article 124 has mixed the roles of the National Assembly and the Senate. We propose that the roles for the two Houses be separated and clearly defined.
Article 125 (1) (a) provides that the members of the Senate are elected by the County Assembly. We propose that if the Senate is going to be the Upper House, with power to check the National Assembly and impeach the president, the Senators must be elected directly by the people of Kenya.
Article 125(b) and (c) requires a law to provide for the procedure of electing the representatives of the special interest groups in Parliament like women, youth and persons with disabilities. However, this law is not listed under the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the law that will provide for the provisions of Article (b) and (c) be listed in the Sixth Schedule and given one year for its enactment.
Article 126 (1) (a) provides that the number of constituencies will be provided for under an Act of Parliament. We wish to express concern that Parliament may abuse this power. We propose that the number of constituencies be provided for in the Constitution. However, we have noted that the 2009 Census Report and the Report of the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission will influence the number of constituencies. There is need for consensus building on this matter as a condition precedent to the subjecting of this draft to referendum. In case the three matters noted above are not attained, we propose that the constituencies be fixed at 210 in number subject to further amendments.
Article 126(1) (d) provides for seven seats for marginalised communities, marginalised groups and workers. It is difficult to know how this clause will be implemented. Article 126(2) and (3) should therefore be deleted or clearly written to ensure easy interpretation.
Article 127(1) (c) provides for the educational, ethical and moral qualification of members of parliament. However, the law that will bring into force this Article has not been listed in the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the proposed law be listed in the Sixth Schedule to be enacted within 6 months of the effective date of the constitution.
Article 130(f) provides that if a Member of Parliament is expelled from a political party, he loses his parliamentary seat. Political party matters and the discipline of their members should be confined within the party and legislation. We propose that Article 130(f) be amended by deleting the words "or is expelled from a political party in terms of Article 115".
Article 131(1) provides for the right of recall of members of parliament. However, the law that is required to implement this clause has been omitted from the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the Act of Parliament that will bring clause (2) into effect for the procedures of recalling a Member of Parliament be listed in the Sixth Schedule and be enacted within one year once the constitution comes into effect.
Article 132(2) provides for the period of six months to determine an electoral petition. However, it is not clear what happens if the petition is not determined by the end of the six months. We propose that this matter be clarified.
Article 137(3) provides that a Bill may originate in either House but a money bill should originate from the National Assembly. Article 139(2) provides that both Houses must pass a bill for it to become law. We find these two Articles to be entrenching duplicity and confusion in law making. We propose that all Bills originate in the National Assembly and are approved in the Senate before presentation to the President for assent. This will facilitate orderly consideration of bills.
Article 139(3) provides that each House shall have jurisdiction to originate Bill. We propose that in view that the Senate is the Upper House, only the National Assembly can originate a Bill and that only the Senate can present a Bill to the President for Assent.
Article 140 is not clear which House will handle the Bill once it is referred back by the President. We propose that the section be re-written to provide that the President can refer a bill back to the Senate and that the Senate may either amend it in line with the President's comments or may refer it to the National Assembly for further debate.
Article 146 provides how the decisions of the Senate will be made. We propose that the Article be rewritten in view of changes proposed in Articles 137, 139 and 140 and in view of the fact that the Senate shall check the National Assembly and protect interests of the Devolved Governments.
Article 151(5) provides for a registry of enactments. We propose that the registry is also established in the devolved of governments.
CHAPTER TWELVE - THE EXECUTIVE
Article 157(5) bars the President from holding a state or public office. We propose that the clause should include the following phrase after the word "office": "unless the State Office is held under clause (2)"
Article 158(3) should make it optional for the President to appoint High Commissioners by using the word "may" instead of the word "shall".
Article 159(3)(a) provides that the President shall ensure that the public participates in the legislation process without providing a mechanism particularly in view of the role of the Prime Minster as the Head of Government.
Article 163 (2) provides for the grounds for disqualification of a presidential candidate. However, being a parliamentary candidate or a candidate for a seat in a devolved government is not provided for as a ground for disqualification. We propose that a new clause (2) (d) be inserted to read as follows:
(d) "a parliamentary, regional or county assembly candidate".
Article 165 provides for petition on questions of validity of presidential elections. Article 165(1) provides that "any person" can file such a petition. We propose that this is clarified to limit the petitioner to registered voters only. The article should also be re-written to delete the "Constitutional Court" wherever it occurs and replace it with the "Supreme Court". The Supreme Court should be the only court with jurisdiction to determine presidential election petitions in Kenya.
Article 165(3) provides that the presidential petition shall be determined within seven days of filing the petition. It is not clear what happens if the petition is not heard and determined in any event. We propose that this matter is clarified.
Article 170 provides for the removal of the State President by impeachment. We propose that Article 170(1) and (2) be amended to require that both Houses of Parliament pass the motion of impeachment of the president with two thirds majority. We propose insertion of a clause in Article 170(2) to read as follows:
"After the National Assembly passes the motion to impeach the president, the Speaker of National Assembly shall forward the motion to the Speaker of the Senate within seven days".
Article 171(3) provides that the Speaker of the Senate shall act as the State President in case the Speaker of the National Assembly is not able. We propose that the order is reversed to provide that the Speaker of the Senate shall act if the Deputy President cannot act and the Speaker of the National Assembly shall act as president if the Speaker of the Senate is not bale to act.
Article 180(a) provides for the criteria for appointment of the Prime Minister. However, it is not clear how one determines the size of a political party. There are three ways of determining the size of a party namely, the number of parliamentary seats, the number of members in that party's register of members or the number of votes that were cast in support of the candidates for that party during elections. We propose that the number of parliamentary seats be used in determining who will be appointed Prime Minister so that Article 180(a) and (b) to read as follows:
(a) "the member who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with more than half the seats in the National Assembly, represented in parliament; or
(b) if the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with more than half of the seats in the National Assembly has been unable to command the confidence of the National Assembly, the member of the National Assembly who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with the second largest number of seats, represented in parliament.
Article 184(2) provides for the appointment of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister shall present names for appointment by the President. What is the meaning of the word "present"? Does it mean that the President must appoint with no option of rejecting the names? If one reads Article 184(2) together with Article 171(a), the President may be impeached for failing to appoint the cabinet. We find these provisions to be a recipe for conflict between the two offices.
The following issues are potential areas of conflict and require to be clearly spelt out in the constitution in view of the roles of the State President and Prime Minister:
•National Intelligence: national intelligence and counter intelligence service will be under the control of the Minister for Internal Security appointed by the Prime Minister. How will the president manage security in the country in this regard?
•Defence: the Minister for Defence will be under the control of the Prime Minister. As the Commander in Chief, the President is in charge of the Armed Forces. Who will the Minister for Defence report to?
•Foreign Affairs: The Minister for Foreign Affairs will be under the control of the Prime Minister. Foreign affairs are normally a function of the State. Will the Ambassadors and High Commissioners represent the state or government in foreign countries?
CHAPTER 13 - THE JUDICIARY
Article 203 seeks to establish a Constitutional Court. We propose that Article 203 be deleted and the jurisdiction spread over other courts with the Supreme Court having the final say on constitutional matters.
Article 208(b) provides for Kadhi's Courts as a subordinate court. We propose that clause (b) be deleted and the following words inserted: "religious courts".
Article 209 provides for the establishment of Kadhi's courts. The article contradicts Article 10 that guarantees that all religions are equal. We propose that Article 209 be deleted entirely. The Kadhi's Court Act, Chapter 11 of the Laws of Kenya, adequately provides for them.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT
Article 222 (1) (c) provides for minorities. We propose that the definition of 'minorities' be provided for under Article 311.
The current arrangement where every Ministry delivers services to the people at the grassroots level is expensive, corrupt unaccountable and unwieldy. Kenya therefore requires a system that devolves powers to the local level. We therefore appreciate the provisions in Chapter 14 subject to the following changes:
Article 215 to Article 220 provide for the operation of the devolved governments. In our opinion, the regional governments are very elaborate but have not been allocated significant roles. In this regard, we propose that the Articles 215 to 220 be deleted so that the county becomes the primary devolution unit.
Article 232(2) provides for conflict of laws and allows in some instances the laws of the devolved governments to supersede the national laws. To avoid instances of conflict between laws made by various levels of government, the draft must clearly provide that national laws shall prevail over county laws.
We therefore propose that Article 232(2) to (8) be deleted and replaced with the following new clause:
(2) "Subject to Article 2(4), national laws shall prevail over county legislation"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - PUBLIC FINANCE
Article 253 (1) provides for borrowing by government. It is important to provide for the limits of this power and peg it to the GDP or annual ordinary revenue.
FIRST SCHEDULE
The 1st Schedule provides for regions and counties that will form the devolved governments. We propose that regional governments be removed since they have no significant roles assigned to them by the draft. They are therefore redundant and will only complicate governance at the county levels. We propose that the primary devolved unit be the 46 districts which are provided for under the First and Second Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992 delineated as follows:
Province Counties No
Central Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Nyandarua, Nyeri 5
Rift Valley Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kajiado, Kericho, Laikipia, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Samburu, Transnzoia, Turkana, Uasin-Gishu, West Pokot 14
Eastern Embu, Isiolo, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Marsabit, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi 8
North Eastern Garissa, Mandera, Wajir 3
Nyanza Homabay, Kisii Central, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya 6
Western Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga 4
Coast Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Tana River 6
TOTAL COUNTIES 46
Nairobi should be called the Nairobi Metropolitan as defined in the First Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992. All other districts in Kenya were declared illegal by the High Court of Kenya.
FOURTH SCHEDULE
(Art 228(1))
Part 3, section 12 provides that the county government shall have the function of police. In view of the highly polarised and ethnic divide that obtains in Kenya, this may pose a threat to national security. The counties may turn their police force into militia that could be used not only to carry out tribal conflicts but also carry out such operations across counties. We therefore propose that section 12 be deleted and a new section inserted to read as follows:
12 "fire fighting services and disaster management"
SEVENTH SCHEDULE
(Article 312);
Section 7(4) provides that the names and boundaries of the county shall correspond to those that were in place as at 15th March 2007. We propose that Section 7(4) be deleted and replaced with the following new clause:
"As at the effective date, the names and boundaries of the counties specified in the First Schedule shall correspond with the names and boundaries of the districts as provided for in the Second Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992".
SECTIONS 15 - 17
The provisions for the vetting of the judiciary under sections 15 - 17 should be deleted since it this is not necessary at the moment. The vetting of the judiciary can be done after the constitution is adopted.
Signed on this 3rd day of December 2009 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru.
Rev. Dr. Charles Kibicho
Chairman
Rev. Canon Peter Karanja
General Secretary
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 15 December 2009 18:08 )
http://www.ncck.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170:we-hold-the-government-responsible&catid=43:news&Itemid=29
Monday, 14 June 2010 17:16 | Author: NCCK Communications
We hold Government Responsible
PRESS STATEMENT
1. Introduction
We the Christian church leaders in Kenya condemn the dastardly attack of peaceful Christians during the prayer rally held yesterday at Uhuru Park. The detonation of two explosive devices among the praying congregants led to the deaths of seven people and injury of more than a hundred.
We pray for all those who were injured that they will recover quickly, and for the comfort of the families who lost their loved ones. We send our condolences to the families of these martyrs who died for attending a rally to make their position clear. God is with you, and the martyrdom of your loved ones will not be in vain. We shall always hold these dear one close in our hearts and our prayers.
Jesus in The Holy Bible said these words: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18: 20). We state here categorically that this attack was an affront on God Himself, and He will, in His own ways, deal with the perpetrators. We especially remind those who planned and detonated those devices the words of Genesis 9: 6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
As we stand here, there are indications that the emergency response by the Kenyatta National Hospital has been below the expectations of both the victims and the church leaders. While we appreciate the constraints of the hospital, we appeal for all necessary interventions by the Ministry of Medical Services in order to save lives and minimize suffering.
2. Pre-Meditated Attack
Appreciating that the same group of Christians have held gospel crusades at the same venue in the past without similar incidents, we are in no doubt that the bomb attacks are directly connected to the proposed new constitution. We indeed consider that the attack was a pre-meditated aggress on democracy; a cowardly act seemingly aimed at scaring Kenyans from expressing their right to oppose the proposed constitution.
Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution during the referendum is a government project, we are left in no doubt that the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack. Who else in this country holds explosive devices?
We also note with sadness that the police did not provide security at the rally as required in the law. Even worse, the police did not arrive at the scene until one hour after the explosions.
We therefore hold the government and the Yes team responsible for the attack and for the blood that was shed unless they prove to Kenyans that someone else planted and detonated the devices. The government has the responsibility of providing security and pre-empting and punishing crime.
3. Call for Restraint
On our part, we shall not be intimidated. We shall continue mobilizing and educating Kenyans so that they reject the draft constitution at the referendum. This draft constitution is its own greatest enemy, and all what is required is to open it up to Kenyans and they reject it.
What is in this draft constitution that some are willing to kill innocent Kenyans to make it pass?
Recognizing that Uhuru Park during the time of the attack was dedicated as an altar to God upon which prayers were offered, the shedding of blood was an unfortunate defilement. We therefore urge all Christian Church Leaders to congregate at the venue on Tuesday 15th June 2010 at 12:00 noon for prayers to cleanse the venue and pray for security of those who attend future meetings thereon.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, we urge all God-fearing Kenyans to remember the words of 2 Corinthians 4: 8 – 11: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.†Let us all stand firm in what we believe and defend the faith of the one who gave His life for us; and if need be, we shall also give our lives for Him.
The threats of violence shall never cow us into embracing injustice in our land.
Signed on this 14th day of June 2010 at Uhuru Park on behalf of the Kenya Christian Church Leaders.
Rev Canon Peter Karanja
Chairman
General Secretary, NCCK
On behalf of the organizations represented in the meeting:
Anglican Church of Kenya
Bible Way Restoration Ministries
Chrisco Fellowship
Christ is the Answer Ministries
Christian Lawyers’ Fellowship
Deliverance Church
Fellowship of Evangelical Independent Christian Churches of Kenya
Friends Church in Kenya
Kenya Assemblies of God
Kenya Christian Constitutional Forum
Living Waters
National Council of Churches of Kenya
Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa
Redeemed Gospel Church
Reformed Church of East Africa
Last Updated ( Monday, 14 June 2010 17:30 )
4th Memorandum to Committee of Experts
Thursday, 03 December 2009 00:00 | Author: NCCK Communications |
http://www.ncck.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145:memo&catid=55:publications&Itemid=108
The 4th Memorandum
Presented by the
National Council of Churches of Kenya
to the
Committee of Experts for the Constitution of Kenya Review Process
Pursuant to section 23(c) of the
Constitution of Kenya Review Act No 9 of 2008
After studying and analysing the Harmonised Draft Constitution of Kenya, the Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya is pleased to make the following proposals for consideration by the Committee of Experts:
CHAPTER TWO
Article 5 states that the territory of Kenya shall be defined by international law. We propose that the draft defines the territory of Kenya either in the constitution or in an Act of Parliament for avoidance of doubt.
CHAPTER THREE - NATIONAL VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND GOALS
The values stated in the draft are mixed up with goals and principles. The values are also stated as if they belong to state and public officers. We propose that the Chapter is re-written so that values, principles and goals be separated and stated in a clear way. The values should also be stated in a way that they can apply and inspire all Kenyans.
CHAPTER SIX - THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Article 33 provides for limitation of the Bill of Rights. One of the limitations in clause (4) limits the application of the Bill of Rights with regard to equality to facilitate implementation of the Islamic faith. The limitation is inconsistent with Article 10 of the draft constitution as it allows persons belonging to the Islamic religion to violate the Bill of Rights. We propose that Article 33(4) be deleted so that all Kenyan are subject to the Bill of Rights without exception.
Article 35 does not define what the term "life" means. Such a position may open the door for abortion and so called mercy killing (euthanasia) to be constitutional and legal. For avoidance of doubt as to whether the unborn child is a person or not, we propose that Article 35(3) reads as follows:
(3) "The life of a person begins at conception and ends at natural death".
Article 41 on the rights of children does not include the right to be born. In order to protect the unborn child, we propose that that a new Article 41(l) is inserted to read as follows:
(l) "To be born".
Article 42 provides for the right to found a family and to marry. In our view the definition of the parties to a marriage is not clear. We propose that Article 42(2) and (3) be deleted and a new Article 42(2) and (3) be inserted to read as follows:
(2) "Every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex based upon the free consent of the parties; and has a right to found a family".
(3) "A person shall not marry another person of the same sex".
Article 49 provides for the right to religion and opinion. Article 49 has omitted the right to propagate one's religion and the right to convert to another religion. We propose that a new Article 49(3) be inserted to read as follows :
(3) "Every one has a right to propagate or convert from one religion to another".
Article 49(5) provides for the right of access to any institution or facility without any discrimination on the basis of one's religion. We take great exception to these provisions particularly with regard to institutions and facilities established for the purpose of propagating a religion of faith. We propose that a new clause (6) is inserted immediately after clause 5 to read as follows:
(5) "Clause (5) shall not apply to institutions and facilities that are established solely or partly for religious purposes".
CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE LEGISLATURE
Article 123 does not provide for the hierarchy of Parliament. We propose that the Senate be the Upper House and the National Assembly be the Lower House. The Lower House would be known as the National Assembly and the Upper House as the Senate. The new Article 123 should read as follows:
"There is established a Parliament of Kenya which shall consist of the Upper House which shall be referred to as the Senate and the Lower House which shall be referred to as the National Assembly".
Article 124 has mixed the roles of the National Assembly and the Senate. We propose that the roles for the two Houses be separated and clearly defined.
Article 125 (1) (a) provides that the members of the Senate are elected by the County Assembly. We propose that if the Senate is going to be the Upper House, with power to check the National Assembly and impeach the president, the Senators must be elected directly by the people of Kenya.
Article 125(b) and (c) requires a law to provide for the procedure of electing the representatives of the special interest groups in Parliament like women, youth and persons with disabilities. However, this law is not listed under the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the law that will provide for the provisions of Article (b) and (c) be listed in the Sixth Schedule and given one year for its enactment.
Article 126 (1) (a) provides that the number of constituencies will be provided for under an Act of Parliament. We wish to express concern that Parliament may abuse this power. We propose that the number of constituencies be provided for in the Constitution. However, we have noted that the 2009 Census Report and the Report of the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission will influence the number of constituencies. There is need for consensus building on this matter as a condition precedent to the subjecting of this draft to referendum. In case the three matters noted above are not attained, we propose that the constituencies be fixed at 210 in number subject to further amendments.
Article 126(1) (d) provides for seven seats for marginalised communities, marginalised groups and workers. It is difficult to know how this clause will be implemented. Article 126(2) and (3) should therefore be deleted or clearly written to ensure easy interpretation.
Article 127(1) (c) provides for the educational, ethical and moral qualification of members of parliament. However, the law that will bring into force this Article has not been listed in the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the proposed law be listed in the Sixth Schedule to be enacted within 6 months of the effective date of the constitution.
Article 130(f) provides that if a Member of Parliament is expelled from a political party, he loses his parliamentary seat. Political party matters and the discipline of their members should be confined within the party and legislation. We propose that Article 130(f) be amended by deleting the words "or is expelled from a political party in terms of Article 115".
Article 131(1) provides for the right of recall of members of parliament. However, the law that is required to implement this clause has been omitted from the Sixth Schedule. We propose that the Act of Parliament that will bring clause (2) into effect for the procedures of recalling a Member of Parliament be listed in the Sixth Schedule and be enacted within one year once the constitution comes into effect.
Article 132(2) provides for the period of six months to determine an electoral petition. However, it is not clear what happens if the petition is not determined by the end of the six months. We propose that this matter be clarified.
Article 137(3) provides that a Bill may originate in either House but a money bill should originate from the National Assembly. Article 139(2) provides that both Houses must pass a bill for it to become law. We find these two Articles to be entrenching duplicity and confusion in law making. We propose that all Bills originate in the National Assembly and are approved in the Senate before presentation to the President for assent. This will facilitate orderly consideration of bills.
Article 139(3) provides that each House shall have jurisdiction to originate Bill. We propose that in view that the Senate is the Upper House, only the National Assembly can originate a Bill and that only the Senate can present a Bill to the President for Assent.
Article 140 is not clear which House will handle the Bill once it is referred back by the President. We propose that the section be re-written to provide that the President can refer a bill back to the Senate and that the Senate may either amend it in line with the President's comments or may refer it to the National Assembly for further debate.
Article 146 provides how the decisions of the Senate will be made. We propose that the Article be rewritten in view of changes proposed in Articles 137, 139 and 140 and in view of the fact that the Senate shall check the National Assembly and protect interests of the Devolved Governments.
Article 151(5) provides for a registry of enactments. We propose that the registry is also established in the devolved of governments.
CHAPTER TWELVE - THE EXECUTIVE
Article 157(5) bars the President from holding a state or public office. We propose that the clause should include the following phrase after the word "office": "unless the State Office is held under clause (2)"
Article 158(3) should make it optional for the President to appoint High Commissioners by using the word "may" instead of the word "shall".
Article 159(3)(a) provides that the President shall ensure that the public participates in the legislation process without providing a mechanism particularly in view of the role of the Prime Minster as the Head of Government.
Article 163 (2) provides for the grounds for disqualification of a presidential candidate. However, being a parliamentary candidate or a candidate for a seat in a devolved government is not provided for as a ground for disqualification. We propose that a new clause (2) (d) be inserted to read as follows:
(d) "a parliamentary, regional or county assembly candidate".
Article 165 provides for petition on questions of validity of presidential elections. Article 165(1) provides that "any person" can file such a petition. We propose that this is clarified to limit the petitioner to registered voters only. The article should also be re-written to delete the "Constitutional Court" wherever it occurs and replace it with the "Supreme Court". The Supreme Court should be the only court with jurisdiction to determine presidential election petitions in Kenya.
Article 165(3) provides that the presidential petition shall be determined within seven days of filing the petition. It is not clear what happens if the petition is not heard and determined in any event. We propose that this matter is clarified.
Article 170 provides for the removal of the State President by impeachment. We propose that Article 170(1) and (2) be amended to require that both Houses of Parliament pass the motion of impeachment of the president with two thirds majority. We propose insertion of a clause in Article 170(2) to read as follows:
"After the National Assembly passes the motion to impeach the president, the Speaker of National Assembly shall forward the motion to the Speaker of the Senate within seven days".
Article 171(3) provides that the Speaker of the Senate shall act as the State President in case the Speaker of the National Assembly is not able. We propose that the order is reversed to provide that the Speaker of the Senate shall act if the Deputy President cannot act and the Speaker of the National Assembly shall act as president if the Speaker of the Senate is not bale to act.
Article 180(a) provides for the criteria for appointment of the Prime Minister. However, it is not clear how one determines the size of a political party. There are three ways of determining the size of a party namely, the number of parliamentary seats, the number of members in that party's register of members or the number of votes that were cast in support of the candidates for that party during elections. We propose that the number of parliamentary seats be used in determining who will be appointed Prime Minister so that Article 180(a) and (b) to read as follows:
(a) "the member who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with more than half the seats in the National Assembly, represented in parliament; or
(b) if the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with more than half of the seats in the National Assembly has been unable to command the confidence of the National Assembly, the member of the National Assembly who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with the second largest number of seats, represented in parliament.
Article 184(2) provides for the appointment of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister shall present names for appointment by the President. What is the meaning of the word "present"? Does it mean that the President must appoint with no option of rejecting the names? If one reads Article 184(2) together with Article 171(a), the President may be impeached for failing to appoint the cabinet. We find these provisions to be a recipe for conflict between the two offices.
The following issues are potential areas of conflict and require to be clearly spelt out in the constitution in view of the roles of the State President and Prime Minister:
•National Intelligence: national intelligence and counter intelligence service will be under the control of the Minister for Internal Security appointed by the Prime Minister. How will the president manage security in the country in this regard?
•Defence: the Minister for Defence will be under the control of the Prime Minister. As the Commander in Chief, the President is in charge of the Armed Forces. Who will the Minister for Defence report to?
•Foreign Affairs: The Minister for Foreign Affairs will be under the control of the Prime Minister. Foreign affairs are normally a function of the State. Will the Ambassadors and High Commissioners represent the state or government in foreign countries?
CHAPTER 13 - THE JUDICIARY
Article 203 seeks to establish a Constitutional Court. We propose that Article 203 be deleted and the jurisdiction spread over other courts with the Supreme Court having the final say on constitutional matters.
Article 208(b) provides for Kadhi's Courts as a subordinate court. We propose that clause (b) be deleted and the following words inserted: "religious courts".
Article 209 provides for the establishment of Kadhi's courts. The article contradicts Article 10 that guarantees that all religions are equal. We propose that Article 209 be deleted entirely. The Kadhi's Court Act, Chapter 11 of the Laws of Kenya, adequately provides for them.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT
Article 222 (1) (c) provides for minorities. We propose that the definition of 'minorities' be provided for under Article 311.
The current arrangement where every Ministry delivers services to the people at the grassroots level is expensive, corrupt unaccountable and unwieldy. Kenya therefore requires a system that devolves powers to the local level. We therefore appreciate the provisions in Chapter 14 subject to the following changes:
Article 215 to Article 220 provide for the operation of the devolved governments. In our opinion, the regional governments are very elaborate but have not been allocated significant roles. In this regard, we propose that the Articles 215 to 220 be deleted so that the county becomes the primary devolution unit.
Article 232(2) provides for conflict of laws and allows in some instances the laws of the devolved governments to supersede the national laws. To avoid instances of conflict between laws made by various levels of government, the draft must clearly provide that national laws shall prevail over county laws.
We therefore propose that Article 232(2) to (8) be deleted and replaced with the following new clause:
(2) "Subject to Article 2(4), national laws shall prevail over county legislation"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - PUBLIC FINANCE
Article 253 (1) provides for borrowing by government. It is important to provide for the limits of this power and peg it to the GDP or annual ordinary revenue.
FIRST SCHEDULE
The 1st Schedule provides for regions and counties that will form the devolved governments. We propose that regional governments be removed since they have no significant roles assigned to them by the draft. They are therefore redundant and will only complicate governance at the county levels. We propose that the primary devolved unit be the 46 districts which are provided for under the First and Second Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992 delineated as follows:
Province Counties No
Central Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Nyandarua, Nyeri 5
Rift Valley Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kajiado, Kericho, Laikipia, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Samburu, Transnzoia, Turkana, Uasin-Gishu, West Pokot 14
Eastern Embu, Isiolo, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Marsabit, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi 8
North Eastern Garissa, Mandera, Wajir 3
Nyanza Homabay, Kisii Central, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya 6
Western Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga 4
Coast Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Tana River 6
TOTAL COUNTIES 46
Nairobi should be called the Nairobi Metropolitan as defined in the First Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992. All other districts in Kenya were declared illegal by the High Court of Kenya.
FOURTH SCHEDULE
(Art 228(1))
Part 3, section 12 provides that the county government shall have the function of police. In view of the highly polarised and ethnic divide that obtains in Kenya, this may pose a threat to national security. The counties may turn their police force into militia that could be used not only to carry out tribal conflicts but also carry out such operations across counties. We therefore propose that section 12 be deleted and a new section inserted to read as follows:
12 "fire fighting services and disaster management"
SEVENTH SCHEDULE
(Article 312);
Section 7(4) provides that the names and boundaries of the county shall correspond to those that were in place as at 15th March 2007. We propose that Section 7(4) be deleted and replaced with the following new clause:
"As at the effective date, the names and boundaries of the counties specified in the First Schedule shall correspond with the names and boundaries of the districts as provided for in the Second Schedule of the Districts and Provinces Act No 5 of 1992".
SECTIONS 15 - 17
The provisions for the vetting of the judiciary under sections 15 - 17 should be deleted since it this is not necessary at the moment. The vetting of the judiciary can be done after the constitution is adopted.
Signed on this 3rd day of December 2009 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru.
Rev. Dr. Charles Kibicho
Chairman
Rev. Canon Peter Karanja
General Secretary
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 15 December 2009 18:08 )
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
'Touchdown Jesus' statue fire not a sign from God, Solid Rock Church leader says
My Comment
A statue worth 300, 000$ erected by a so called Christian church. What nonsense!!! Why not send this money to Africa to construct a church for poor Christians who worship from leaking roofs. Why not spend this money to pay the medical bills some very poor persons in Asia or Africa who are HIV positive . This statue is indicative of how wicked and selfish human beings can be. They pretend to advertise Jesus when in reality they are advertising them selves. Shame upon this so called Solid Rock Church. Take it or leave it was God who smashed that Gabbage statue. Put up another statue and live to regret what God will do next. Do not say I never warned you.
'Touchdown Jesus' statue fire not a sign from God, Solid Rock Church leader says
Replacement will be fireproof; Internet publicity worth 'a billion dollars'
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100615/NEWS01/306160001/Rebuilding-plan-Make-it-fireproof
By Janice Morse and Jennifer Baker • jmorse@enquirer.com | jbaker@enquirer.com • June 15, 2010
MONROE - Bigger, better – and fireproof. That’s the type of Jesus statue that Darlene Bishop hopes will replace the 62-foot-tall foam-and-Fiberglass “King of Kings” sculpture that burned to the ground after lightning struck it late Monday.
Bishop, co-pastor of the sculpture’s home, Solid Rock Church, 904 N. Union Rd., along northbound Interstate 75 in Monroe said the $700,000 fire, while an upsetting mess, has wrought blessings, too – including worldwide publicity.
“I think he (Jesus) couldn’t have gotten this much advertising if we had paid a billion dollars,” she said Tuesday.
Bishop disagrees with people who lit up Internet comment boards suggesting – either jokingly or seriously – that the lightning strike could have been a sign that God disapproved of the statue. During the statue’s six years in front of the church, “he’s weathered a lot of storms,” Bishop said.
Monday’s traffic-stopping fire struck just before the church was to begin repainting the statue. Because of insurance coverage, “Now we get to build a whole brand-new one, paid-for,” Bishop said. “We are blessed.”
Erected in 2004 at a cost of $250,000, the statue likely would be worth about $300,000 now, fire officials estimated.
The much-debated local icon was known by nicknames ranging from “Big Butter Jesus” because of its yellowish, lumpy texture, to “Touchdown Jesus,” because its outstretched arms resembled a referee’s signal for a touchdown.
Flames consumed the statue, leaving only a charred metal skeleton. A reflection pool surrounding the statue was afloat with dead fish and burnt debris Tuesday. The blaze also caused $400,000 damage to an adjacent music theater, destroying most of its roof and damaging costly audio and electrical systems, fire officials said.
But the church’s nearby home for 23 battered, pregnant or homeless women was unscathed, Bishop pointed out. She said she consoled its residents and told them, “Jesus took a hit for you today, girls.”
Bishop said she’s just grateful no one was injured.
Seeing the statue burn was “kind of surreal,” said Monroe fire Capt. Richard Mascarella. “Whoever would have thought that we’d get dispatched for this?”
Fire Chief Mark Neu said that a statue would be among the last structures anyone would expect to burn in a fire, let alone a lightning-strike fire.
The materials used in the Jesus statue ignited rapidly after lightning struck, Neu said, because of flammable gases that Styrofoam-type materials emit after a fire starts.
“The fire burned very quick and it was very hot,” Neu said. In fact, the heat was so intense, the first group of firefighters was forced to back away and begin using larger hoses to douse the blaze.
At one point, flames soared 30 feet above the statute’s outstretched hands, Mascarella said. About 75 vehicles stopped cold on the Interstate as passersby gawked at the spectacle, he said.
Cars pulling on and off the interstate and people getting out of their cars made safety crews worry that someone would be seriously hurt or killed in a crash. The Ohio State Highway Patrol issued dozens of warnings, urging motorists to move along.
The first call reporting the fire came around 11:15 p.m. Monday during a severe thunderstorm.
A Butler County dispatcher called a Monroe dispatcher and relayed a caller’s report and said: “Did you get a call for the Jesus being on fire at Solid Rock yet?...Apparently it’s been struck by lightning and it’s now on fire.”
In hindsight, John Centers, a Monroe assistant fire chief, realizes he probably witnessed the lightning bolt that struck the statue.
Centers was outside on his deck, about a mile from the church, watching Monday night’s spectacular storm. He saw a very bright lightning flash, and heard a loud thunderclap.
At first, he didn’t think much of it, “because there had already been so many ground strikes that night,” Centers said. But he could tell that the lightning had struck fairly close by and “it was a very significant ground strike.”
“The pattern of light flashed all the way to the ground,” and was in the general direction of the church, Centers said.
Within four minutes of his witnessing the strike, firefighters were being called to the blazing statue.
The lightning hit in spite of preventive measures, Neu said.
“Everything around the structure and even the structure itself has lightning resistors and grounding rods,” Neu said, but he added that the unpredictable nature of lightning can decrease effectiveness of those devices.
Firefighters spent about an hour extinguishing the blaze. They remained working at the scene until around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, Neu said. Battling the three-alarm fire required about 50 firefighters from Monroe and several neighboring departments, including Middletown, Liberty Township and Deerfield Township.
The fire left a mess – and considerable discussion about the statue – in its wake.
The statue had been a much-debated icon since it was erected along busy I-75.
For fans, it inspired religious experiences. A man reported that the sculpture helped him reconsider his intention to commit suicide, Bishop said.
For critics, the structure represented a garish waste of money that could have been devoted to humanitarian causes.
But for many casual observers, the statue simply served as an eye-catching photo backdrop and a source of lighthearted jokes.
Whether they liked Giant Jesus or not, people grew accustomed to it.
The statue was such a landmark, businesspeople and local residents would tell visitors how to find them in relation to the sizable Savior.
Even firefighters that Mascarella, the fire captain, would meet at conventions would be unfamiliar with Monroe until he’d mention the statue, he said.
“It’s bizarre for it not to be there – and just to have this weird, creepy-looking metal frame there now,” said Megan Coscia, 25, of Lebanon, a manager at the nearby Hustler Hollywood of Ohio store.
Coscia said customers have often mentioned the statue – and some would note the irony that a big, religious-oriented statue would be within view of a store selling adult-oriented merchandise some consider sinful.
But Coscia points out, jokingly, that the Lord hasn’t struck down the store yet. “We’re right down the road and lightning didn’t hit us,” she said.
Neu said the destruction of the statue left church officials and devoted members exhausted and devastated.
The church claims its membership hovers around 4,000.
“They’ll pick up and they’ll move on,” Neu said, “and they’ll continue to do the work that they’re doing.”
COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE
mikeylikesit513 wrote:
The statue was not erected to glorify Jesus Christ and his teachings... it was erected to promote and glorify the church and the pastors massive ego.
6/16/2010 12:48:49 AM
Cliftondweller wrote:
"You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6) The Second Commandment, interpret it as you want.
6/16/2010 1:03:19 AM
Chadufunny wrote:
I don’t get IT, Christians are always asking for God’s will to be done. God burns down this ridiculous statue that some super ego right wing Christian wants to put back up because he wants everyone to see how much he loves Jesus. God burned down this Insult of Jesus because it’s about attraction not promotion. Take the money and feed some family or get their house out of foreclosure. OMG when will these crazy people get it.
6/15/2010 11:01:24 PM
anonniemuss wrote:
Pat Robertson is always so fast to say that people bring catastrophes on themselves because they have displeased God. He and Falwell blamed 9/11 on the "pagans, gays, lesbians, and abortionists". The earthquake in Haiti was because of "the pact with the devil" that Haitian slaves made 200 years ago. He told Chile, after the earthquake THERE, that God was even angrier with them than with Haiti because they had attempted to prosecute that good man Augusto Pinochet. He threatened Dover, Pennsylvania with Divine Retribution because it ousted local school board members who favored teaching "intelligent design". Although this certainly doesn't qualify as a "catastrophe," I wonder what he'll say about the lightning strike of Touchdown Jesus...
6/16/2010 1:39:49 AM
schnecken wrote:
....How about...using the money that would build another huge legless jesus for the good of the people..Why do you need a million dollar statue? Would Jesus do that? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't.What woul the "secondary effects" of this statue inspire people to do???Really..someone is insane!!!What is the message of a styrofoam skyscraping jesus? What kind of church is this? I don't need to be lured in by Starbuck's ,wii,oversized eyesores,or free donuts! I will walk in a door that has friendly caring faces that care about people and have their priorities together.There are a lot more important things they could use that money for.
char51 wrote:
it sounds like the church could have spent the money more wisely. like helping people, with food a place to live, help the old. besides you are not to make and image of him. maybe got tired of looking at that thing.we need churchs to help the people, not be like the goverment and wast it.
myspinonit wrote:
Fireproof..wait a minute. Isn't god omnipotent? Can they build a graven image that God can't destroy by fire..a theological conundrum..
6/16/2010 3:17:20 AM
Fox2140 wrote:
Make it as grandiose and big and flashy as possible!!!!
Over 350 feet!!!! Its not like that money could be better spent helping the poor or sick or elderly!!!! And really, what goes along better with Jesus's message than building something as extravagant as this!!!
Build it taller than the Carew!!!
wcrob wrote:
I hope the Bishops are reading this, because you know what nauseates me to no end about the plans to rebuild that statue? It's all the talk about how much money it is (was)worth, and how to build it bigger and better, and how to get more publicity, and how much the statue meant to people. Tell me something, where is the talk about Jesus in all this? A perfect opportunity to share the gospel that Jesus died on the cross for us, and not one peep about that. Do people only care about the publicity that spending money on a statue will bring?
Listen, Bishops...I have never had, nor will I ever have, any intention of stepping one foot inside your church. I'd rather flee into the wilderness and worship in a mountain cabin.
cydwest wrote:
why not feed the poor, rather than building another idol??
How is it possibly worth the cost in a World of starving people?
seems rather self serving - what would jesus do...
6/15/2010 7:51:52 PM
A statue worth 300, 000$ erected by a so called Christian church. What nonsense!!! Why not send this money to Africa to construct a church for poor Christians who worship from leaking roofs. Why not spend this money to pay the medical bills some very poor persons in Asia or Africa who are HIV positive . This statue is indicative of how wicked and selfish human beings can be. They pretend to advertise Jesus when in reality they are advertising them selves. Shame upon this so called Solid Rock Church. Take it or leave it was God who smashed that Gabbage statue. Put up another statue and live to regret what God will do next. Do not say I never warned you.
'Touchdown Jesus' statue fire not a sign from God, Solid Rock Church leader says
Replacement will be fireproof; Internet publicity worth 'a billion dollars'
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100615/NEWS01/306160001/Rebuilding-plan-Make-it-fireproof
By Janice Morse and Jennifer Baker • jmorse@enquirer.com | jbaker@enquirer.com • June 15, 2010
MONROE - Bigger, better – and fireproof. That’s the type of Jesus statue that Darlene Bishop hopes will replace the 62-foot-tall foam-and-Fiberglass “King of Kings” sculpture that burned to the ground after lightning struck it late Monday.
Bishop, co-pastor of the sculpture’s home, Solid Rock Church, 904 N. Union Rd., along northbound Interstate 75 in Monroe said the $700,000 fire, while an upsetting mess, has wrought blessings, too – including worldwide publicity.
“I think he (Jesus) couldn’t have gotten this much advertising if we had paid a billion dollars,” she said Tuesday.
Bishop disagrees with people who lit up Internet comment boards suggesting – either jokingly or seriously – that the lightning strike could have been a sign that God disapproved of the statue. During the statue’s six years in front of the church, “he’s weathered a lot of storms,” Bishop said.
Monday’s traffic-stopping fire struck just before the church was to begin repainting the statue. Because of insurance coverage, “Now we get to build a whole brand-new one, paid-for,” Bishop said. “We are blessed.”
Erected in 2004 at a cost of $250,000, the statue likely would be worth about $300,000 now, fire officials estimated.
The much-debated local icon was known by nicknames ranging from “Big Butter Jesus” because of its yellowish, lumpy texture, to “Touchdown Jesus,” because its outstretched arms resembled a referee’s signal for a touchdown.
Flames consumed the statue, leaving only a charred metal skeleton. A reflection pool surrounding the statue was afloat with dead fish and burnt debris Tuesday. The blaze also caused $400,000 damage to an adjacent music theater, destroying most of its roof and damaging costly audio and electrical systems, fire officials said.
But the church’s nearby home for 23 battered, pregnant or homeless women was unscathed, Bishop pointed out. She said she consoled its residents and told them, “Jesus took a hit for you today, girls.”
Bishop said she’s just grateful no one was injured.
Seeing the statue burn was “kind of surreal,” said Monroe fire Capt. Richard Mascarella. “Whoever would have thought that we’d get dispatched for this?”
Fire Chief Mark Neu said that a statue would be among the last structures anyone would expect to burn in a fire, let alone a lightning-strike fire.
The materials used in the Jesus statue ignited rapidly after lightning struck, Neu said, because of flammable gases that Styrofoam-type materials emit after a fire starts.
“The fire burned very quick and it was very hot,” Neu said. In fact, the heat was so intense, the first group of firefighters was forced to back away and begin using larger hoses to douse the blaze.
At one point, flames soared 30 feet above the statute’s outstretched hands, Mascarella said. About 75 vehicles stopped cold on the Interstate as passersby gawked at the spectacle, he said.
Cars pulling on and off the interstate and people getting out of their cars made safety crews worry that someone would be seriously hurt or killed in a crash. The Ohio State Highway Patrol issued dozens of warnings, urging motorists to move along.
The first call reporting the fire came around 11:15 p.m. Monday during a severe thunderstorm.
A Butler County dispatcher called a Monroe dispatcher and relayed a caller’s report and said: “Did you get a call for the Jesus being on fire at Solid Rock yet?...Apparently it’s been struck by lightning and it’s now on fire.”
In hindsight, John Centers, a Monroe assistant fire chief, realizes he probably witnessed the lightning bolt that struck the statue.
Centers was outside on his deck, about a mile from the church, watching Monday night’s spectacular storm. He saw a very bright lightning flash, and heard a loud thunderclap.
At first, he didn’t think much of it, “because there had already been so many ground strikes that night,” Centers said. But he could tell that the lightning had struck fairly close by and “it was a very significant ground strike.”
“The pattern of light flashed all the way to the ground,” and was in the general direction of the church, Centers said.
Within four minutes of his witnessing the strike, firefighters were being called to the blazing statue.
The lightning hit in spite of preventive measures, Neu said.
“Everything around the structure and even the structure itself has lightning resistors and grounding rods,” Neu said, but he added that the unpredictable nature of lightning can decrease effectiveness of those devices.
Firefighters spent about an hour extinguishing the blaze. They remained working at the scene until around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, Neu said. Battling the three-alarm fire required about 50 firefighters from Monroe and several neighboring departments, including Middletown, Liberty Township and Deerfield Township.
The fire left a mess – and considerable discussion about the statue – in its wake.
The statue had been a much-debated icon since it was erected along busy I-75.
For fans, it inspired religious experiences. A man reported that the sculpture helped him reconsider his intention to commit suicide, Bishop said.
For critics, the structure represented a garish waste of money that could have been devoted to humanitarian causes.
But for many casual observers, the statue simply served as an eye-catching photo backdrop and a source of lighthearted jokes.
Whether they liked Giant Jesus or not, people grew accustomed to it.
The statue was such a landmark, businesspeople and local residents would tell visitors how to find them in relation to the sizable Savior.
Even firefighters that Mascarella, the fire captain, would meet at conventions would be unfamiliar with Monroe until he’d mention the statue, he said.
“It’s bizarre for it not to be there – and just to have this weird, creepy-looking metal frame there now,” said Megan Coscia, 25, of Lebanon, a manager at the nearby Hustler Hollywood of Ohio store.
Coscia said customers have often mentioned the statue – and some would note the irony that a big, religious-oriented statue would be within view of a store selling adult-oriented merchandise some consider sinful.
But Coscia points out, jokingly, that the Lord hasn’t struck down the store yet. “We’re right down the road and lightning didn’t hit us,” she said.
Neu said the destruction of the statue left church officials and devoted members exhausted and devastated.
The church claims its membership hovers around 4,000.
“They’ll pick up and they’ll move on,” Neu said, “and they’ll continue to do the work that they’re doing.”
COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE
mikeylikesit513 wrote:
The statue was not erected to glorify Jesus Christ and his teachings... it was erected to promote and glorify the church and the pastors massive ego.
6/16/2010 12:48:49 AM
Cliftondweller wrote:
"You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6) The Second Commandment, interpret it as you want.
6/16/2010 1:03:19 AM
Chadufunny wrote:
I don’t get IT, Christians are always asking for God’s will to be done. God burns down this ridiculous statue that some super ego right wing Christian wants to put back up because he wants everyone to see how much he loves Jesus. God burned down this Insult of Jesus because it’s about attraction not promotion. Take the money and feed some family or get their house out of foreclosure. OMG when will these crazy people get it.
6/15/2010 11:01:24 PM
anonniemuss wrote:
Pat Robertson is always so fast to say that people bring catastrophes on themselves because they have displeased God. He and Falwell blamed 9/11 on the "pagans, gays, lesbians, and abortionists". The earthquake in Haiti was because of "the pact with the devil" that Haitian slaves made 200 years ago. He told Chile, after the earthquake THERE, that God was even angrier with them than with Haiti because they had attempted to prosecute that good man Augusto Pinochet. He threatened Dover, Pennsylvania with Divine Retribution because it ousted local school board members who favored teaching "intelligent design". Although this certainly doesn't qualify as a "catastrophe," I wonder what he'll say about the lightning strike of Touchdown Jesus...
6/16/2010 1:39:49 AM
schnecken wrote:
....How about...using the money that would build another huge legless jesus for the good of the people..Why do you need a million dollar statue? Would Jesus do that? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't.What woul the "secondary effects" of this statue inspire people to do???Really..someone is insane!!!What is the message of a styrofoam skyscraping jesus? What kind of church is this? I don't need to be lured in by Starbuck's ,wii,oversized eyesores,or free donuts! I will walk in a door that has friendly caring faces that care about people and have their priorities together.There are a lot more important things they could use that money for.
char51 wrote:
it sounds like the church could have spent the money more wisely. like helping people, with food a place to live, help the old. besides you are not to make and image of him. maybe got tired of looking at that thing.we need churchs to help the people, not be like the goverment and wast it.
myspinonit wrote:
Fireproof..wait a minute. Isn't god omnipotent? Can they build a graven image that God can't destroy by fire..a theological conundrum..
6/16/2010 3:17:20 AM
Fox2140 wrote:
Make it as grandiose and big and flashy as possible!!!!
Over 350 feet!!!! Its not like that money could be better spent helping the poor or sick or elderly!!!! And really, what goes along better with Jesus's message than building something as extravagant as this!!!
Build it taller than the Carew!!!
wcrob wrote:
I hope the Bishops are reading this, because you know what nauseates me to no end about the plans to rebuild that statue? It's all the talk about how much money it is (was)worth, and how to build it bigger and better, and how to get more publicity, and how much the statue meant to people. Tell me something, where is the talk about Jesus in all this? A perfect opportunity to share the gospel that Jesus died on the cross for us, and not one peep about that. Do people only care about the publicity that spending money on a statue will bring?
Listen, Bishops...I have never had, nor will I ever have, any intention of stepping one foot inside your church. I'd rather flee into the wilderness and worship in a mountain cabin.
cydwest wrote:
why not feed the poor, rather than building another idol??
How is it possibly worth the cost in a World of starving people?
seems rather self serving - what would jesus do...
6/15/2010 7:51:52 PM
Jesus statue struck by lightning
Jesus statue struck by lightning
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/15/jesus-statue-struck-by-lightning/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/37486/
If you've ever driven between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, on I-75 then you probably saw the six-story King of Kings statue featuring Jesus coming out of a lake with hands raised in front of the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio.
Monday night the statue was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning.
The gleaming white statue was unmissable, even speeding down the interstate.
Monroe fire chief Mark Neu told the CNN Belief Blog he's never seen anything like the fire in his 32 years as chief.
He said the 62-foot statue had a steel frame and was wrapped in Styrofoam and covered with a fiberglass coating to protect it. At 11:16 last night, the fire department got the call the statue had been hit by lighting and was on fire.
"It spread from the statue to the amphitheater," he said. "There was heavy damage to the amphitheater where the stature backed up to. It was a fast-moving fire. We’re looking at $700,000 worth of damage."
The chief has spoken with church officials, who have gotten calls about the statue today from as far away as China.
"I know the membership of the Solid Rock Church was devastated by the fire and have every intention of putting the statue and the amphitheater back as is was," Neu said. "They said they plan on rebuilding immediately and moving forward."
Neu said no one was injured in the blaze.
The statue made cameos in loads of Ohioans' snapshots and even made it into the documentary "Jesus Camp."
I once got a speeding ticket not far from it while on assignment. The Ohio state trooper would not give me a warning despite the fact my co-worker in the passenger seat asked if it counted if we had a "news emergency."
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/15/jesus-statue-struck-by-lightning/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/37486/
If you've ever driven between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, on I-75 then you probably saw the six-story King of Kings statue featuring Jesus coming out of a lake with hands raised in front of the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio.
Monday night the statue was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning.
The gleaming white statue was unmissable, even speeding down the interstate.
Monroe fire chief Mark Neu told the CNN Belief Blog he's never seen anything like the fire in his 32 years as chief.
He said the 62-foot statue had a steel frame and was wrapped in Styrofoam and covered with a fiberglass coating to protect it. At 11:16 last night, the fire department got the call the statue had been hit by lighting and was on fire.
"It spread from the statue to the amphitheater," he said. "There was heavy damage to the amphitheater where the stature backed up to. It was a fast-moving fire. We’re looking at $700,000 worth of damage."
The chief has spoken with church officials, who have gotten calls about the statue today from as far away as China.
"I know the membership of the Solid Rock Church was devastated by the fire and have every intention of putting the statue and the amphitheater back as is was," Neu said. "They said they plan on rebuilding immediately and moving forward."
Neu said no one was injured in the blaze.
The statue made cameos in loads of Ohioans' snapshots and even made it into the documentary "Jesus Camp."
I once got a speeding ticket not far from it while on assignment. The Ohio state trooper would not give me a warning despite the fact my co-worker in the passenger seat asked if it counted if we had a "news emergency."
Monday, 14 June 2010
Silence Among the Lambs
Silence Among the Lambs
http://examineyourself.info/articles/1/Silence_Among_the_Lambs.html
MOST of the Bible Remains a Mystery in the Churches today. The average congregation has absolutely no foundation in the fundamental principles of Salvation and faith according to the Scriptures. Consequently the Pastors are Preaching ‘to the Choir’, assuming that the vast majority of attendees are Safe and Secure in the Arms of Jesus! Therefore frightening anyone with admonishments about their behavior disqualifying them from the Kingdom or chastising their complacency, insisting on Obedience, is NOT part of the mix.
The People assume God is well pleased with their form of Worship and approves of their life style. Since they are NEVER Warned about His Severity or Cautioned to not abuse His Longsuffering, they suppose that He wants them to enjoy their lives. Work hard, earn well, prosper, buy land, houses, cars, indulge in various forms of worldly entertainments and amuse themselves with church functions and gatherings.
No one has ever told them that God is Kind to the Wicked, bestowing His blessings on all mankind while He gives them opportunity to Turn from sin and Repent. (Rom2:4)
The rain and sunshine of life that come in due season is the Natural Providence of God’s benevolence, NOT His personal Endorsement of the Church! MOST of the charitable deeds done in His Name are to no Purpose at the Judgment! (Matt7:21-23) But HOW could anyone Know these are the Words of Jesus, IF NO ONE ever Warns them? There may indeed be a blissful ignorance in the Comfort of delusion, but like the Rich man in Luke 16 you are STILL Accountable for your actions. He lifted up his eyes in torment, but it was too late for him to warn others of their impending doom.
You who Sleep now in these churches will find yourselves one day in that fiery place if you don’t Wake up to Reality. The System tells you ONLY what it ‘thinks’ you Need to know. Just enough to keep you under, Control but not enough to disturb your slumber. You put up with it because it sooths your conscience and gives you confidence that you life is being lived as a ‘Christian.’ But at best most of you are nothing more than ‘Reformed Pagans!’ Meaning you have the motions down pat, the ‘FORM’ but inwardly you are destitute of the Spirit.
Most church members are nice people, in that they will greet you, make you feel welcome, invite you back or into their fellowships. They frequently testify of what God is Doing in their lives. How He healed a grandchild, spouse or extended His comforting Grace to them in a time of need. It all seems so real and many spend their entire lives in this environment never questioning the presence of God among them, just assuming He is always there, holding them up, forgiving their sins and waiting to take them home.
BUT Something is Desperately Wrong with this scenario. For the Bible Paints an ENTIRELY OPPOSITE description of the Christian life! The constant possibility of Deception (spirit of error) is echoed throughout the New Testament by the Apostles and Jesus. The Desperate need to JUDGE a tree by its Fruits to Expose false teachers is just ONE of these warnings as is the Command to CONTEND Earnestly for the faith to protect the Doctrine which According to godliness! Yet most professed Christians in the churches have no idea these passages even exist.
Further evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Vacancy in the churches today is the presence of all manner of immoral behavior and wickedness. Can the Spirit of Truth Co-Exist with the spirit of error? NOT according to the Bible! (2Cor6:17-18 ) The presence of one, means the Absence of the other. IF the Spirit of Truth were present among you, SIN (open and overt acts of sin, like 1Cor5:5) would GRIVE Him Deeply and there would be MUCH Godly Sorrow taking place among the people. The Pastors would NOT be able to sweep divorce and immorality under the rug and send the people into counseling, and NEVER mention the subject in his Preaching. The Spirit Would NOT allow it!
The Saints (if they were indeed ‘saints’ ) would be Covering themselves in sackcloth and ashes, fasting and praying for these people, crying out to God for Repentance and Clearing of the Wrong doing. If the violations then continued unabated, they would REMOVE the offenders from fellowship, so not to contaminate the entire church. THIS is what the Bible says to do and for GOOD reason! Otherwise sin would have the upper hand and NO ONE would Repent. With immoral activity rampant in the churches today you have PROOF POSITIVE of Strong Delusion and the spirit of error in Total Control.
Why is the Professed Church in this State of Spiritual Death? Mainly because they have followed suit, according to the Scriptures, by ‘Suppressing’ the Truth in Unrighteousness! There is no ‘Love of Truth’ among them. They love the Form, the fairly tale of ‘Believe’ and be saved. The mantra that no one is perfect, you can’t Judge and Salvation is not of works! But tell them they Must Run, Fight, Endure and Contend and they will sit there smiling at you, hanging on to their pastors coat tales and do nothing.
Consider the Accumulative effect of modern preaching designed wholly to make you feel good about yourself, comfort you in your distress and promise you God’s love no matter what. This is the ‘Preaching to the Choir’ going out World wide without exception that has mesmerized the masses and numbed their minds to the Truth. Millions of Church goers have NEVER heard the Real Gospel of Repentance and Faith. Therefore they have nothing to compare what they hearing now to it.
For Example:
1) How can anyone Understand they are a Slave to who they Obey, When they DON’T have to Obey to begin with?
2) What impact is telling them they must Obey God Wholeheartedly to be Saved, when they are already ‘believing’ in Him since childhood?
3) Why would anyone STRIVE to Enter through the Narrow Gate, when they have been invited in while still in their sins?
4) Who would Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires when they were told that God will clean them up when He is ready?
5) And How could you Convince anyone that Faith is an Obedient heart of Love, Working to Cleanse and Purity you of sin, when Salvation is ‘Not of works?’
6) WHO could Repent of their sin in the manner described in 2Cor7:10-11, if they are Born Depraved, wholly incapable of Doing ‘anything’ Right?
The Real Gospel is so Radically opposed to what the Churches are Preaching and Teaching that the TRUTH today is considered the Heresy! That’s why you hardly ever see any genuine effect on a community. Although thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) respond to Modern Evangelism and every church denomination stages huge events, rallies, concerts and revivals, it has ABSOLUTLY NO effect whatsoever on the degradation of morals in our society today.
WHY? Because NO ONE, ANYWHERE, will tell ANYONE that the SIN has to STOP in REPENTANCE!!! Therefore the sin is drug into the Kingdom with the ‘Supposed’ Converts, nurtured, coddled and excused until the Conscience is Silenced against any possibility of Spirit Convictions. You are as a Lamb being lead to the Slaughter…..’silent’ and completely oblivious to the Lies all around.
Examine Yourself! 2Cor13:5. TEST and PROVE your Faith! Least you be Disqualified!!
1) Are you Grieved over the sin in your church?
2) Are you Concerned about the Content of the Message? Will you Contend for the faith?
3) Do you Guard your Heart, Keep it Pure, Share not in sins of Others?
4) What are you Priorities in life? Money, Land, Retirement, Entertainments or God?
5) Do you CARE that most Professed Christians today are wholly deceived and living in sin?
6) Are you Obeying Christ or Following after your own Desires?
Remember, you will Never be told these things in Church, or Challenged to Test your faith. Everything is assumed to be just fine. The Sun is shining, the sky is blue and God is in His heaven Smiling down on you through Jesus, (pretending you’re not a vile wretch because you believe!) But the big bright bubble is going to burst one day and your whole phony world is going to come crashing down, (Just like Jesus said it would, Matt7:21-23) with you in it and everything you thought was holding it up.
http://examineyourself.info/articles/1/Silence_Among_the_Lambs.html
MOST of the Bible Remains a Mystery in the Churches today. The average congregation has absolutely no foundation in the fundamental principles of Salvation and faith according to the Scriptures. Consequently the Pastors are Preaching ‘to the Choir’, assuming that the vast majority of attendees are Safe and Secure in the Arms of Jesus! Therefore frightening anyone with admonishments about their behavior disqualifying them from the Kingdom or chastising their complacency, insisting on Obedience, is NOT part of the mix.
The People assume God is well pleased with their form of Worship and approves of their life style. Since they are NEVER Warned about His Severity or Cautioned to not abuse His Longsuffering, they suppose that He wants them to enjoy their lives. Work hard, earn well, prosper, buy land, houses, cars, indulge in various forms of worldly entertainments and amuse themselves with church functions and gatherings.
No one has ever told them that God is Kind to the Wicked, bestowing His blessings on all mankind while He gives them opportunity to Turn from sin and Repent. (Rom2:4)
The rain and sunshine of life that come in due season is the Natural Providence of God’s benevolence, NOT His personal Endorsement of the Church! MOST of the charitable deeds done in His Name are to no Purpose at the Judgment! (Matt7:21-23) But HOW could anyone Know these are the Words of Jesus, IF NO ONE ever Warns them? There may indeed be a blissful ignorance in the Comfort of delusion, but like the Rich man in Luke 16 you are STILL Accountable for your actions. He lifted up his eyes in torment, but it was too late for him to warn others of their impending doom.
You who Sleep now in these churches will find yourselves one day in that fiery place if you don’t Wake up to Reality. The System tells you ONLY what it ‘thinks’ you Need to know. Just enough to keep you under, Control but not enough to disturb your slumber. You put up with it because it sooths your conscience and gives you confidence that you life is being lived as a ‘Christian.’ But at best most of you are nothing more than ‘Reformed Pagans!’ Meaning you have the motions down pat, the ‘FORM’ but inwardly you are destitute of the Spirit.
Most church members are nice people, in that they will greet you, make you feel welcome, invite you back or into their fellowships. They frequently testify of what God is Doing in their lives. How He healed a grandchild, spouse or extended His comforting Grace to them in a time of need. It all seems so real and many spend their entire lives in this environment never questioning the presence of God among them, just assuming He is always there, holding them up, forgiving their sins and waiting to take them home.
BUT Something is Desperately Wrong with this scenario. For the Bible Paints an ENTIRELY OPPOSITE description of the Christian life! The constant possibility of Deception (spirit of error) is echoed throughout the New Testament by the Apostles and Jesus. The Desperate need to JUDGE a tree by its Fruits to Expose false teachers is just ONE of these warnings as is the Command to CONTEND Earnestly for the faith to protect the Doctrine which According to godliness! Yet most professed Christians in the churches have no idea these passages even exist.
Further evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Vacancy in the churches today is the presence of all manner of immoral behavior and wickedness. Can the Spirit of Truth Co-Exist with the spirit of error? NOT according to the Bible! (2Cor6:17-18 ) The presence of one, means the Absence of the other. IF the Spirit of Truth were present among you, SIN (open and overt acts of sin, like 1Cor5:5) would GRIVE Him Deeply and there would be MUCH Godly Sorrow taking place among the people. The Pastors would NOT be able to sweep divorce and immorality under the rug and send the people into counseling, and NEVER mention the subject in his Preaching. The Spirit Would NOT allow it!
The Saints (if they were indeed ‘saints’ ) would be Covering themselves in sackcloth and ashes, fasting and praying for these people, crying out to God for Repentance and Clearing of the Wrong doing. If the violations then continued unabated, they would REMOVE the offenders from fellowship, so not to contaminate the entire church. THIS is what the Bible says to do and for GOOD reason! Otherwise sin would have the upper hand and NO ONE would Repent. With immoral activity rampant in the churches today you have PROOF POSITIVE of Strong Delusion and the spirit of error in Total Control.
Why is the Professed Church in this State of Spiritual Death? Mainly because they have followed suit, according to the Scriptures, by ‘Suppressing’ the Truth in Unrighteousness! There is no ‘Love of Truth’ among them. They love the Form, the fairly tale of ‘Believe’ and be saved. The mantra that no one is perfect, you can’t Judge and Salvation is not of works! But tell them they Must Run, Fight, Endure and Contend and they will sit there smiling at you, hanging on to their pastors coat tales and do nothing.
Consider the Accumulative effect of modern preaching designed wholly to make you feel good about yourself, comfort you in your distress and promise you God’s love no matter what. This is the ‘Preaching to the Choir’ going out World wide without exception that has mesmerized the masses and numbed their minds to the Truth. Millions of Church goers have NEVER heard the Real Gospel of Repentance and Faith. Therefore they have nothing to compare what they hearing now to it.
For Example:
1) How can anyone Understand they are a Slave to who they Obey, When they DON’T have to Obey to begin with?
2) What impact is telling them they must Obey God Wholeheartedly to be Saved, when they are already ‘believing’ in Him since childhood?
3) Why would anyone STRIVE to Enter through the Narrow Gate, when they have been invited in while still in their sins?
4) Who would Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires when they were told that God will clean them up when He is ready?
5) And How could you Convince anyone that Faith is an Obedient heart of Love, Working to Cleanse and Purity you of sin, when Salvation is ‘Not of works?’
6) WHO could Repent of their sin in the manner described in 2Cor7:10-11, if they are Born Depraved, wholly incapable of Doing ‘anything’ Right?
The Real Gospel is so Radically opposed to what the Churches are Preaching and Teaching that the TRUTH today is considered the Heresy! That’s why you hardly ever see any genuine effect on a community. Although thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) respond to Modern Evangelism and every church denomination stages huge events, rallies, concerts and revivals, it has ABSOLUTLY NO effect whatsoever on the degradation of morals in our society today.
WHY? Because NO ONE, ANYWHERE, will tell ANYONE that the SIN has to STOP in REPENTANCE!!! Therefore the sin is drug into the Kingdom with the ‘Supposed’ Converts, nurtured, coddled and excused until the Conscience is Silenced against any possibility of Spirit Convictions. You are as a Lamb being lead to the Slaughter…..’silent’ and completely oblivious to the Lies all around.
Examine Yourself! 2Cor13:5. TEST and PROVE your Faith! Least you be Disqualified!!
1) Are you Grieved over the sin in your church?
2) Are you Concerned about the Content of the Message? Will you Contend for the faith?
3) Do you Guard your Heart, Keep it Pure, Share not in sins of Others?
4) What are you Priorities in life? Money, Land, Retirement, Entertainments or God?
5) Do you CARE that most Professed Christians today are wholly deceived and living in sin?
6) Are you Obeying Christ or Following after your own Desires?
Remember, you will Never be told these things in Church, or Challenged to Test your faith. Everything is assumed to be just fine. The Sun is shining, the sky is blue and God is in His heaven Smiling down on you through Jesus, (pretending you’re not a vile wretch because you believe!) But the big bright bubble is going to burst one day and your whole phony world is going to come crashing down, (Just like Jesus said it would, Matt7:21-23) with you in it and everything you thought was holding it up.
Uganda’s Prosperity Female Prophetess (Nabbi omukazi) Maggie Kayima’s Occult connection exposed
Uganda’s Prosperity Female Prophetess (Nabbi omukazi) Maggie Kayima’s Occult connection exposed
FIRST READ: OCCULTIST Pastor AUGUSTINE YIGA, Kayima Maggie’s colleague
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/03/pastor-augustine-yiga-luciferian-or.html
Kayima maggie’s Occultic songs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdBLBbi6iYs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=re3CW9yNyrs
http://www.google.co.ug/#q=Kayima+Maggie&hl=en&prmd=v&start=0&sa=N&fp=918ac27576d09dce
My Analyis
Last week Bukedde news paper and NBS television(Titie’s show) were awash with one business man who came out to accuse the so called Prophetess Maggie Kayima of witchcraft . This man says that he made an agreement with Maggie Kayima in which he paid her one million Uganda shillings to sing at music galla the business man had organized. Kayima never turned up and never refunded the money . The man took the case to the police. He alleges that he was attacked by devils from Kayima which told him to abandon the case or else risk losing his life. The man further alleges that he has been trying to follow kayima to demand for his money only to be shocked .
He says that he one time saw kiyima enter her car when the business man came close, there was no kayima in the car but a CAT ….Many Ugandan are convinced that Maggie Kayima is a devil incarnate. Although some of these allegations appear stupid and may some times be exaggerated for example the view that Kayima is a not a human person but a devil in the flesh, there is a lot of truth in what they say. The bible says that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
The truth is that Yiga and Maggie Kayima are occult ministers .Remember Maggie Kayima ministers with Yiga’s church. The fundamental message of these people is revenge. They preach that witchcraft should be sent back to the sender etc .
Many Christians do not know that their so called pastors and prophets are in the occult . They are on a mission from satan to destroy the church. IF YOU ARE SO GREEDY FOR MONEY, WEALTH, BIG THINGS , PROSPERITY AND ALL THIS GABBAGE , ONE OF THESE DAYS YOU WILL RUN THE HARD WAY.
Nabbi omukazi bamulimirizza ku ddogo
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=167&newsId=721793
Bya Richard Kayiira Ne Kizito Musoke
OMUSUUBUZI w’omu Kampala alumirizza Nabbi Omukazi nti amusindikira
amajiini agamutiisatiisa nti bw’ataave ku nsimbi z’abanja Nabbi,
amajiini gano gagenda kumunywamu omusaayi.
Maggie Kayima amanyiddwa ennyo nga Nabbi Omukazi eyayimbye “Sooka
ongulire akagatto” gaamumyukidde ku poliisi ng’omusuubuzi Charles
Mpalanyi omutuuze w’e Lugoba Kazo amulumiriza eddogo.
Mpalanyi attottoledde poliisi bw’ati: Omukazi oyo mulogo nnyo! Yasoose
kunsindikira majiini agannumbye nga nneebase ne gakuba enzigi
n’ebimyanso era ne gantuga nga bwe gandabula nti, “Bw’otoove ku ssente
z’obanja Nabbi, tugenda kukunywamu omusaayi”.
Enkeera natandikiddewo okunoonya Nabbi ambuulire lwaki yansindikidde
ebyawongo. Namusanze ku kkanisa y’Omusumba Augustine Yiga (Mbizzaayo)
e Kawaala (gy’atera okubeera) ng’ayingira mmotoka ye ne mmulumba,
kyokka kyambuuseeko okumutuukako ng’ate ndabamu mukazi omukadde ennyo
ali mu myaka nga 90 n’omusobyo.
Wadde nabadde ntidde nnyo, namaliridde okumulondoola era bwe
bantegeezezza nti agenze ku Eden Pub e Bwaise nayo ne mmulumbayo.
Namwetegerezza bulungi ng’ayingira era ne mmugoberera kyokka bwe
natuuse mu kisenge mwe namulengedde ng’ayingira nga simulabamu ne
mbuuza abaabaddewo ne bantegeeza nti tannaba kuyingirako mu kifo ekyo,
wabula ng’emmotoka ye esimbiddwa ebweru. Nasazeewo okulindira ku
mmotoka ye, era waayiseewo akabanga katono n’ajja n’ayingira.
Nayanguye ntuuke ku mmotoka nga tannagisimbula kyokka nagenze okulaba
nga ku mutto w’abadde atudde ndabawo kkapa ye simulaba!
Mpalanyi agamba nti okuva lwe yafunye obutakkaanya ne Nabbi Omukazi
nga buva ku nsimbi akakadde kamu z’amubanja, afunye ebizibu bingi mu
maka era ne bizinensi ze ezimu ne zigootaana kwe kugenda ku poliisi ya
Old Kampala n’aggulawo omusango oguli ku fayiro 29/28/05/2010.
Wabula Nabbi Omukazi yagambye nti: Omusajja alabika andoota buloosi
kubanga nze ebifo by’ayogerako saabigendamu ku nnaku ezo. Ayinza okuba
ng’anjagala nnyo oba ng’ampalana nnyo nga ky’ekimuviirako ebirooto
ebyo oba kiyinzika okuba ng’alina omuntu gw’alaba anneefaananyiriza
kubanga nze n’okumumanya simumanyi, namulabidde ku poliisi
ng’agenzeeyo okunzigulako omusango ne mpitibwa.
“Nze siri mulogo. Bye nkola byonna tebiriimu sitaani, ndiwo kuyimbira
Mukama na kuwa bunnabbi (kulagula ebirijja), siriiwo kutulugunya
bantu.” Maggie Kayima eyakazibwako “Nabbi Omukazi” nga kiva ku luyimba
lwe yasooka okufulumya bwe yategeezezza Bukedde.
Bino byonna biddiridde Mpalanyi okugenda ku poliisi n’agiraga
endagaano gy’agamba gye yakola ne Nabbi Omukazi ng’eraga nti bakkaanya
nga 5/3/2010 n’amusasula akakadde kamu amukolere ebivvulu bibiri ekimu
nga kyakubeera Semuto ate ekirala ku Kaleerwe mu April w’omwaka guno
kyokka n’atatuukiriza ndagaano. Wabula Nabbi Omukazi agamba nti
endagaano eyaleeteddwa njingirire wadde ng’omukono mwe yawandiikiddwa
gufaananamu ogugwe era ateebereza nti waliwo omuntu akolera mu linnya
lye n’afera abantu n’abanyagako ensimbi ng’ayita mu kakodyo
k’okujingirira omukono gwe.
Yagasseeko nti: Ono si y’asoose, waakavaayo abantu ba mirundi ebiri
omu yava Mbarara ate omulala yava Lyantonde abanneesibako nti bampa
ssente nnyimbe mu bivvulu ne situukiriza ndagaano era ne mpalirizibwa
okukkaanya nabo ne mbasasula nga ntya nti bwe binaawanvuwa bijja
kunnyonoonera erinnya.
Kyokka ntuuse we nkoma kubanga balabika banfudde lusuku. Ssente
nzirina naye sijja kuzimuwa kubanga bwe nnaazimuwa wajja kuvaayo
n’omulala anneesibeko nti abanja.
Published on: Saturday, 5th June, 2010
Nabbi Omukazi - A Case of Blasphemy Or Simple Entertainment...
The New Vision, 5 July 200
http://allafrica.com/stories/200907061748.html
column
Maggie Kayima is the voice and brains behind the now popular Nabbi Omukazi song that has become a regular on local stations today. Although she has been baptised a gospel artiste, we will leave it to you to decide whether she is gospel artiste and and whether her popular song is indeed gospel.
In her creatively crafted piece of art, Kayima takes up the role of a prophetess, who has just been unleashed onto this country and her speciality is telling her clients what went wrong, which friend of theirs is bewitching them, and what is the way forward, typical sorcerer style.
In one of the many cases presented to her in the song, a father inquires why his son keeps falling sick, only to be told that the child is actually not his but his neighbour's and that he should return it to the actual dad, whose spirits have started demanding its return. She claims to have the ability to see what your friends-turned-foes are plotting and offers advice just the way a witch being consulted would. And right after that she says "God bless you", of all phrases.
But regardless of those grey areas, Nabbi Omukazi comes out as a perfect work of satire as Ms Kayima, knowingly or not, ridicules practices that have become part of day-to-day life. This is seen in the example cited above and in a series of others. She hits out on the girls who use charms to steal their friends' men, on women who complain that they don't get married and yet they do not take good care of their physical appearance, and on men who leave their long-time partners for younger ones as soon as they get wealthy.
Friday, 11 June 2010
Uganda: Catholic nuns held over marijuana
Catholic nuns held over marijuana plant
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/722171
Tuesday, 8th June, 2010
By Ali Mambule
THE Police in Masaka have arrested two nuns for allegedly participating in growing marijuana.
The two nuns, who had declined to reveal their identities to the Police, were picked from Bwanda Convent in Masaka district, where the Police found a banana plantation full of the illegal crop.
The New Vision later learnt that one of the nuns is Nanteza, while the other is Sister Rita.
The Masaka district Police commander, Titus Byaruhanga, also arrested two other men — Joseph Rwakasore and Raymond Muwanga — who were found attending to the plantation.
However, there was a scuffle when Sister Nanteza attacked the Police, accusing them of entering the convent without permission.
“You bypassed us without saying anything. What if you got a problem here, whose fault would it be?” Sister Nanteza asked Byaruhanga and other Police officers.
The officers said they were fully armed and expected less resistance from the religious women.
When asked to make a statement, Sister Nanteza refused and moved towards her residence. But Byaruhanga instructed his female officer, identified as Donam, not to let her go, unless she recorded a statement.
Donam then tried leading Nanteza to one of the Police vehicles, but she declined.
Nanteza was later joined by her colleague, Rita and were both led to Masaka Police Station.
The southern regional Police spokesperson, Noah Serunjogi, said they were yet to forward the two nuns to court to be charged.
“No one is allowed to plant marijuana,” Serunjogi said, adding that some people took advantage of the religious leaders’ residences to commit crime.
Byaruhanga said his intention was not to arrest the nuns, but he was forced to lead them to Masaka Police Station when they refused to record a statement.
Sister Rita told Byaruhanga that the marijuana was not for sale, but for treating farm animals, particularly pigs.
The nuns were later released on Police bond after recording statements, but Rwakasore and Muwanga were detained.
Over the last one year, the Police have been carrying out operations to net people growing and dealing in marijuana.
Acting on tip-offs from area residents, the Police was able to uproot the crop from several gardens in Wakiso, Luwero, Masaka, Busia and in parts of northern Uganda. In some cases, the suspects were got with rolls of dry marijuana in sacks.
Catholic priest held over defiling girl
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/707529
Monday, 18th January, 2010
By Chris Ocowun, Charles Mukiibi and David Labeja
THE Police in Gulu have arrested a Catholic priest, the Rev. Fr. Bosco Mawa, on allegations of defiling and making pregnant a 16-year-old pupil of Gulu Public primary school.
Father Mawa was arrested on Saturday when the father of the girl, Charles Arop Atube, reported the matter to the Police. The case was recorded as SD/72/15/01/2010.
Arop told the Police that when the girl became pregnant, she was made to carry out an abortion at a clinic in Gulu town.
He further told the Police that Mawa had been defiling his daughter in Gulu town where she lived with her aunt, Pamela Acan, for two years.
Arop narrated that he became suspicious when his daughter fell sick. “On January 8, 2010, her condition became critical and she revealed that she had aborted.”
He said the daughter narrated to him how she became pregnant, had an abortion and implicated the priest.
“Up to now, my daughter is still bleeding as a result of the abortion,” he lamented.
Arop, who lives in Lamogi sub-county in Amuru district, said he sent his daughter to his sister in Gulu town for education.
The Police yesterday arrested Mark Okello, said to be the owner of Pilwak Clinic in Cereleno in Gulu town, where the girl is said to have carried out the abortion on January 8.
The Police and a medical team then moved to Lacor to try to retrieve the foetus from a pit-latrine where the girl allegedly dumped it, wrapped in her underpants.
The Police officer who led the team, Andrew Gama, said they only recovered the underpants.
Dr. Otto Omona, who was at the scene, said the foetus could have decomposed in the latrine since it had been there for 10 days. He added that there was need to conduct tests to establish whether the same pants were used for wrapping the foetus.
“We cannot guarantee that the underpants we got from the latrine were used for wrapping the baby. We have to take the cloth to Kampala to carry out DNA tests,” Omona said, adding that the blood stains on the pants would be tested against the girl’s blood.
The Gulu district officer in charge of criminal investigations, Moses Byabagye, explained that they were still carrying out investigations against Mawa. The priest was being investigated over defilement and abortion under a Police file CRB 88/2010, Byabagye explained.
Earlier, the regional Police spokesman, Johnson Kilama, said: “The Rev. Fr. Mawa is under Police custody for allegedly defiling a 16-year- old girl.”
Mawa reportedly belongs to the Comboni Missionaries and is based in Southern Sudan. Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama said he had no knowledge of the priest since his jurisdiction does not extend to Sudan.
The Police said the girl will be subjected to a medical examination to establish whether she had an abortion.
As is the case in defilement offences, the priest was subjected to an HIV/AIDS test, according to the Police.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/722171
Tuesday, 8th June, 2010
By Ali Mambule
THE Police in Masaka have arrested two nuns for allegedly participating in growing marijuana.
The two nuns, who had declined to reveal their identities to the Police, were picked from Bwanda Convent in Masaka district, where the Police found a banana plantation full of the illegal crop.
The New Vision later learnt that one of the nuns is Nanteza, while the other is Sister Rita.
The Masaka district Police commander, Titus Byaruhanga, also arrested two other men — Joseph Rwakasore and Raymond Muwanga — who were found attending to the plantation.
However, there was a scuffle when Sister Nanteza attacked the Police, accusing them of entering the convent without permission.
“You bypassed us without saying anything. What if you got a problem here, whose fault would it be?” Sister Nanteza asked Byaruhanga and other Police officers.
The officers said they were fully armed and expected less resistance from the religious women.
When asked to make a statement, Sister Nanteza refused and moved towards her residence. But Byaruhanga instructed his female officer, identified as Donam, not to let her go, unless she recorded a statement.
Donam then tried leading Nanteza to one of the Police vehicles, but she declined.
Nanteza was later joined by her colleague, Rita and were both led to Masaka Police Station.
The southern regional Police spokesperson, Noah Serunjogi, said they were yet to forward the two nuns to court to be charged.
“No one is allowed to plant marijuana,” Serunjogi said, adding that some people took advantage of the religious leaders’ residences to commit crime.
Byaruhanga said his intention was not to arrest the nuns, but he was forced to lead them to Masaka Police Station when they refused to record a statement.
Sister Rita told Byaruhanga that the marijuana was not for sale, but for treating farm animals, particularly pigs.
The nuns were later released on Police bond after recording statements, but Rwakasore and Muwanga were detained.
Over the last one year, the Police have been carrying out operations to net people growing and dealing in marijuana.
Acting on tip-offs from area residents, the Police was able to uproot the crop from several gardens in Wakiso, Luwero, Masaka, Busia and in parts of northern Uganda. In some cases, the suspects were got with rolls of dry marijuana in sacks.
Catholic priest held over defiling girl
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/707529
Monday, 18th January, 2010
By Chris Ocowun, Charles Mukiibi and David Labeja
THE Police in Gulu have arrested a Catholic priest, the Rev. Fr. Bosco Mawa, on allegations of defiling and making pregnant a 16-year-old pupil of Gulu Public primary school.
Father Mawa was arrested on Saturday when the father of the girl, Charles Arop Atube, reported the matter to the Police. The case was recorded as SD/72/15/01/2010.
Arop told the Police that when the girl became pregnant, she was made to carry out an abortion at a clinic in Gulu town.
He further told the Police that Mawa had been defiling his daughter in Gulu town where she lived with her aunt, Pamela Acan, for two years.
Arop narrated that he became suspicious when his daughter fell sick. “On January 8, 2010, her condition became critical and she revealed that she had aborted.”
He said the daughter narrated to him how she became pregnant, had an abortion and implicated the priest.
“Up to now, my daughter is still bleeding as a result of the abortion,” he lamented.
Arop, who lives in Lamogi sub-county in Amuru district, said he sent his daughter to his sister in Gulu town for education.
The Police yesterday arrested Mark Okello, said to be the owner of Pilwak Clinic in Cereleno in Gulu town, where the girl is said to have carried out the abortion on January 8.
The Police and a medical team then moved to Lacor to try to retrieve the foetus from a pit-latrine where the girl allegedly dumped it, wrapped in her underpants.
The Police officer who led the team, Andrew Gama, said they only recovered the underpants.
Dr. Otto Omona, who was at the scene, said the foetus could have decomposed in the latrine since it had been there for 10 days. He added that there was need to conduct tests to establish whether the same pants were used for wrapping the foetus.
“We cannot guarantee that the underpants we got from the latrine were used for wrapping the baby. We have to take the cloth to Kampala to carry out DNA tests,” Omona said, adding that the blood stains on the pants would be tested against the girl’s blood.
The Gulu district officer in charge of criminal investigations, Moses Byabagye, explained that they were still carrying out investigations against Mawa. The priest was being investigated over defilement and abortion under a Police file CRB 88/2010, Byabagye explained.
Earlier, the regional Police spokesman, Johnson Kilama, said: “The Rev. Fr. Mawa is under Police custody for allegedly defiling a 16-year- old girl.”
Mawa reportedly belongs to the Comboni Missionaries and is based in Southern Sudan. Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama said he had no knowledge of the priest since his jurisdiction does not extend to Sudan.
The Police said the girl will be subjected to a medical examination to establish whether she had an abortion.
As is the case in defilement offences, the priest was subjected to an HIV/AIDS test, according to the Police.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Couple jailed for having sex in church
Couple jailed for having sex in church
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/936430/-/x0tpee/-/index.html
By Martin Ssebuyira (email the author)
Posted Friday, June 11 2010 at 00:07
A couple that was allegedly caught having sex in church has been charged with insulting religion and remanded to Kigo Prison. Mr Abbasi Kigongo and Ms Aisha Namazzi appeared before Entebbe Grade One Magistrate Duncan Sunday and denied the charges.
Prosecution alleges that the couple was found having sex near the altar of Kigungu Miracle Centre Church on May 14. Neither of the suspects is a Christian.
“The duo willfully decided to have sex in the church with intentions of insulting a religion. That is unlawful,” the charge sheet reads in part.
They will re-appear in court on June 22. Prosecution alleges that a worshipper who was passing by heard strange noise in the church and after taking a closer, look, found the couple having sex. Once convicted, insulting a religion attracts a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment.
Abominable affront
Recently a couple was caught having sex in a Kenyan mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and they were sentenced to 18 months in jail for what the judge called an “abominable” affront to religion.
Early this year, a German police officer was terminated from work after he was caught having sex with his girl friend in a church tower above a congregation that was attending New Year’s Day Mass in Germany.
Local media in Germany reported that the officer and his girl friend were ‘overcome with lust’ and were unaware that Mass was about to start when they ducked into the church to have sex.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/936430/-/x0tpee/-/index.html
By Martin Ssebuyira (email the author)
Posted Friday, June 11 2010 at 00:07
A couple that was allegedly caught having sex in church has been charged with insulting religion and remanded to Kigo Prison. Mr Abbasi Kigongo and Ms Aisha Namazzi appeared before Entebbe Grade One Magistrate Duncan Sunday and denied the charges.
Prosecution alleges that the couple was found having sex near the altar of Kigungu Miracle Centre Church on May 14. Neither of the suspects is a Christian.
“The duo willfully decided to have sex in the church with intentions of insulting a religion. That is unlawful,” the charge sheet reads in part.
They will re-appear in court on June 22. Prosecution alleges that a worshipper who was passing by heard strange noise in the church and after taking a closer, look, found the couple having sex. Once convicted, insulting a religion attracts a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment.
Abominable affront
Recently a couple was caught having sex in a Kenyan mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and they were sentenced to 18 months in jail for what the judge called an “abominable” affront to religion.
Early this year, a German police officer was terminated from work after he was caught having sex with his girl friend in a church tower above a congregation that was attending New Year’s Day Mass in Germany.
Local media in Germany reported that the officer and his girl friend were ‘overcome with lust’ and were unaware that Mass was about to start when they ducked into the church to have sex.
SHOULD THE CHURCH BE POLITICAL OR PROPHETIC?
SHOULD THE CHURCH BE POLITICAL OR PROPHETIC ??
Arthur Owiti
The issue is not whether the Church should hold views about the things of the world such as politics and economics. The issue is whether they should hold their views in a prophetic light or political stance. Today most of the church has rejectedher prophetic role and chosen to take up a political voice thinking that through that they will please God .She is pleasing man when she takes up the political voice, but will please God when they take the prophetic voice.
They take up the political voice when political opinions are raised above God's word.
The Prophetic voice simply means one speaking forth God's word. From the Old Testament to the New Testament times we are in, that office is still as it is , speaking the word of God. Whereas the prophets and apostles wrote scripture by the Holy Spirit ,saints today employ the same holy scriptures to aid in preaching , doctrine, correction, instruction for righteousness and rebuke;all these involve speaking and when spoken one is speaking forth God's word.
OLD TESTAMENT CHURCH : PROPHETIC CHURCH
God called out the children of Israel and set up a kingdom with them .When they strayed from the ways of God, prophets
arose to warn the people of their transgressions and preach repentance . They spoke to kings and rulers; they spoke about nations, some of which they had no atlas to learn about but had to mention them because they were being ,moved by the Spirit of God who proceeds from God and speaks only his word.
The message was always spiritually correct but politically incorrect because many did not want to hear God's word. They loved their foolish ways and lusts more than God's word. Yet the words of the prophets came to pass despite being persecuted.
The true prophets spoke God 's word, the truth, but false prophets spoke lying words in God's name.The true prophet is concerned about God's will and not his own will.
False prophets because they wanted to please men always sought the will of man, what does the King want to hear or what do the people want to hear not what is God saying about this situation.
John the Baptist the prophet before Jesus Christ was killed not because he was in charge of Jewish Rebellion but because he spoke THE TRUTH about the wickedness of the King and his wife. Jesus had to flee on hearing the demise that befell John because he spoke the truth and knew the hearts of men that hate the word of God.
JESUS CHRIST : THE PROPHET
Jesus our Lord and Saviour , The Prophet ,when he was on earth, touched on many spheres of physical life at that time.
From taxes to authority to families to money , he gave God's word on all these issues. He was not political yet talked about the political in light of God's word. For example he told Pilate the source of Pilate's political power coming from above.
Jesus knew about the political oppression of the Jews by the Romans, he was also subjected to it : Roman trial, Roman forms of punishment.Yet his goal was that he did the will of God and not his own will.
Jesus did not attack the Pharisees out of the blue. He used the same prophetic Scriptures to rebuke the Pharisees hypocrisy and even advised them on what to do about their sorry state. Yet they went about to kill a man who told them the truth. He spoke the word of God, what God has said.
NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH : PROPHETIC CHURCH
From Pentecost the church through the Holy Spirit preached the gospel of Jesus Christ , the word of God.They were just like Isaiah who preached the word and the gospel of peace.
They did not form a Political Jewish Zealot party but they were still a recognised body which was Spiritual and Prophetic in that they spoke the word of God.
They were in the world and still claimed citizenship rights and knew court processes since they were frequent visitors to the law courts of men for a good cause.
However despite being in the world they remained in the faith being a prophetic voice , a voice that speaks God's word to all men , that all men repent and believe the gospel. They were preaching God's command to all men, therefore the prophetic nature of the church.
The church is the body of Christ and is to do as Christ did. He had no political voice when he was on earth because it was not in God's will for him to be political at the time.
God wants all that believe to come in and join his body, his house and once that is done he will set up the kingdom of Jesus Christ which will then usher in his political voice.In fact in God's kingdom politics and worship are one since he is King and Almighty God to be worshipped.
The problem today is that some Church leaders think it right to leave the rightly deserved prophetic role and be involved in politics of this world.
Politics of this world is about the will of man and not of God. The Politics of this world is the kingdom of man.The will of God is the kingdom of God.
When the church preaches the will of God it is dispensing its duties as per the scriptures because she is the house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The church should be prophetic in all its interactions with the world.And it must be in truth, God's word.
A prophetic church is politically incorrect when the politics is against God's word. This does not require Church leaders to run for political office or create political parties.
It requires a vocal church that speaks the truth and touches all areas of society leaving nothing out. Half baked justice is not true justice.
A prophetic church is concerned about what the Spirit is saying to the churches but a political church is concerned about what its supporters are going to say.
A prophetic church loves truth and seeks righteousness .It can go the extra mile to do justice not to be seen by men but for God's glory.
A political church loves its political ideas even when they dilute truth. She believes in compromise, not integrity.
A prophetic church is concerned about ALL the weak vessels of society and the oppressed because she preaches justice and knows who should be the beneficiary of justice.
A political church is only concerned about the weak ones who can be transformed into votes fro their side to win.
A prophetic church practices what it preaches because it loves the truth it preaches.
A political church can preach truth only to enhance its politics and get recognition .Once politics is over they stop preaching truth since it was not about the love of truth but the love of power.
Since a prophetic church speaks the word of God , it seeks only his kingdom and things above yet does justice in the world.
A political church is involved with things below no wonder they are in courtrooms fighting with the world yet they use the name of God whose kingdom is not of the carnal things of this world.
A prophetic church stands even when the economies of the world collapse and structures of man fall.
A political church will definitely fall with the world because she trusts in those structures and not in God.
To resolve the issue the church should always be prophetic which is a dear price to pay because it means standing for God's word in a world which is against it. No praise of man.
The church is the pillar of truth and should stand even when all other structures of man have fallen. However when a church is political she is selling her birthright of being a body led by the Holy Spirit to being a body led by the spirit of the world.
Arthur Owiti
The issue is not whether the Church should hold views about the things of the world such as politics and economics. The issue is whether they should hold their views in a prophetic light or political stance. Today most of the church has rejectedher prophetic role and chosen to take up a political voice thinking that through that they will please God .She is pleasing man when she takes up the political voice, but will please God when they take the prophetic voice.
They take up the political voice when political opinions are raised above God's word.
The Prophetic voice simply means one speaking forth God's word. From the Old Testament to the New Testament times we are in, that office is still as it is , speaking the word of God. Whereas the prophets and apostles wrote scripture by the Holy Spirit ,saints today employ the same holy scriptures to aid in preaching , doctrine, correction, instruction for righteousness and rebuke;all these involve speaking and when spoken one is speaking forth God's word.
OLD TESTAMENT CHURCH : PROPHETIC CHURCH
God called out the children of Israel and set up a kingdom with them .When they strayed from the ways of God, prophets
arose to warn the people of their transgressions and preach repentance . They spoke to kings and rulers; they spoke about nations, some of which they had no atlas to learn about but had to mention them because they were being ,moved by the Spirit of God who proceeds from God and speaks only his word.
The message was always spiritually correct but politically incorrect because many did not want to hear God's word. They loved their foolish ways and lusts more than God's word. Yet the words of the prophets came to pass despite being persecuted.
The true prophets spoke God 's word, the truth, but false prophets spoke lying words in God's name.The true prophet is concerned about God's will and not his own will.
False prophets because they wanted to please men always sought the will of man, what does the King want to hear or what do the people want to hear not what is God saying about this situation.
John the Baptist the prophet before Jesus Christ was killed not because he was in charge of Jewish Rebellion but because he spoke THE TRUTH about the wickedness of the King and his wife. Jesus had to flee on hearing the demise that befell John because he spoke the truth and knew the hearts of men that hate the word of God.
JESUS CHRIST : THE PROPHET
Jesus our Lord and Saviour , The Prophet ,when he was on earth, touched on many spheres of physical life at that time.
From taxes to authority to families to money , he gave God's word on all these issues. He was not political yet talked about the political in light of God's word. For example he told Pilate the source of Pilate's political power coming from above.
Jesus knew about the political oppression of the Jews by the Romans, he was also subjected to it : Roman trial, Roman forms of punishment.Yet his goal was that he did the will of God and not his own will.
Jesus did not attack the Pharisees out of the blue. He used the same prophetic Scriptures to rebuke the Pharisees hypocrisy and even advised them on what to do about their sorry state. Yet they went about to kill a man who told them the truth. He spoke the word of God, what God has said.
NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH : PROPHETIC CHURCH
From Pentecost the church through the Holy Spirit preached the gospel of Jesus Christ , the word of God.They were just like Isaiah who preached the word and the gospel of peace.
They did not form a Political Jewish Zealot party but they were still a recognised body which was Spiritual and Prophetic in that they spoke the word of God.
They were in the world and still claimed citizenship rights and knew court processes since they were frequent visitors to the law courts of men for a good cause.
However despite being in the world they remained in the faith being a prophetic voice , a voice that speaks God's word to all men , that all men repent and believe the gospel. They were preaching God's command to all men, therefore the prophetic nature of the church.
The church is the body of Christ and is to do as Christ did. He had no political voice when he was on earth because it was not in God's will for him to be political at the time.
God wants all that believe to come in and join his body, his house and once that is done he will set up the kingdom of Jesus Christ which will then usher in his political voice.In fact in God's kingdom politics and worship are one since he is King and Almighty God to be worshipped.
The problem today is that some Church leaders think it right to leave the rightly deserved prophetic role and be involved in politics of this world.
Politics of this world is about the will of man and not of God. The Politics of this world is the kingdom of man.The will of God is the kingdom of God.
When the church preaches the will of God it is dispensing its duties as per the scriptures because she is the house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The church should be prophetic in all its interactions with the world.And it must be in truth, God's word.
A prophetic church is politically incorrect when the politics is against God's word. This does not require Church leaders to run for political office or create political parties.
It requires a vocal church that speaks the truth and touches all areas of society leaving nothing out. Half baked justice is not true justice.
A prophetic church is concerned about what the Spirit is saying to the churches but a political church is concerned about what its supporters are going to say.
A prophetic church loves truth and seeks righteousness .It can go the extra mile to do justice not to be seen by men but for God's glory.
A political church loves its political ideas even when they dilute truth. She believes in compromise, not integrity.
A prophetic church is concerned about ALL the weak vessels of society and the oppressed because she preaches justice and knows who should be the beneficiary of justice.
A political church is only concerned about the weak ones who can be transformed into votes fro their side to win.
A prophetic church practices what it preaches because it loves the truth it preaches.
A political church can preach truth only to enhance its politics and get recognition .Once politics is over they stop preaching truth since it was not about the love of truth but the love of power.
Since a prophetic church speaks the word of God , it seeks only his kingdom and things above yet does justice in the world.
A political church is involved with things below no wonder they are in courtrooms fighting with the world yet they use the name of God whose kingdom is not of the carnal things of this world.
A prophetic church stands even when the economies of the world collapse and structures of man fall.
A political church will definitely fall with the world because she trusts in those structures and not in God.
To resolve the issue the church should always be prophetic which is a dear price to pay because it means standing for God's word in a world which is against it. No praise of man.
The church is the pillar of truth and should stand even when all other structures of man have fallen. However when a church is political she is selling her birthright of being a body led by the Holy Spirit to being a body led by the spirit of the world.
Hotel Rwanda hero: Rwanda is a volcano waiting to erupt
Hotel Rwanda hero: Rwanda is a volcano waiting to erupt
CNN - June 10, 2010
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/10/paul.rusesabagina.interview/
Every week CNN's African Voices highlights Africa's most engaging
personalities, exploring the lives and passions of people who rarely
open themselves up to the camera. This week the show profiles Paul
Rusesabagina, who saved the lives of 1,200 people during the Rwandan
genocide, his story portrayed in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda.
London, England (CNN) -- The hotel manager who saved the lives of more
than 1,200 Rwandans during the 1994 genocide has warned that the
country remains in the grip of ethnic tensions that could "erupt
anytime."
Sixteen years after the killings in which an estimated 800,000 to one
million Rwandan Tutsis and moderate Hutus died, Paul Rusesabagina says
lessons have not been learned from past mistakes.
During the genocide, Rusesabagina, the real-life inspiration for the
2004 film "Hotel Rwanda," helped to shelter more than 1,200 people at
the Milles Collines hotel, where he was assistant manager and used
many of his business and political connections to help keep the
building safe.
Rusesabagina is now a human rights campaigner and a critic of Rwanda's
Tutsi-led regime.
He told CNN: "We've changed dancers but the music remains. History
repeats itself and we don't learn."
He added: "What happened in 1992,1993 is now happening again. Since
February 19, there have been many grenade attacks within the country.
Rwanda is now a split country."
"Rwanda is a dormant volcano that might erupt anytime. The ruling
government has created a tiny group of elites that has taken over
everything," he says.
A spokesman from the country's foreign ministry declined to comment on
Rusesabagina's claims, telling CNN: "We have nothing to say about
this."
His comments come amid growing international concern over the arrests
of Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu and her
U.S. lawyer.
According to the Rwanda news agency (RNA), Ingabire was arrested for
allegedly propagating genocide ideology after she called for action to
be taken against those responsible for killing Hutus during the 1994
conflict.
She was freed on bail and had her passport seized. Last month her U.S.
lawyer Peter Erlinder was arrested as he flew into the country to
defend his client. He was held on a genocide denial charge.
Erlinder is lead defense counsel at the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). He remains in prison after being denied
bail Tuesday, the agency reported. Rusesabagina has called for
Erlinder's release.
In a statement on his website, he wrote: "Professor Peter Erlinder was
doing his job as a lawyer. In a civil society that is not grounds for
arrest. If President Kagame considers Rwanda a democracy, he must
release Professor Erlinder immediately."
Human rights activists, including Amnesty International, believe the
arrests are politically motivated as Ingabire plans to challenge
incumbent president Paul Kagame in the upcoming August presidential
elections.
Blog: Meeting the 'quiet hero' of Rwanda's genocide
According to New York-based group, Human Rights Watch, the Rwandan
government has denied a work visa to one of its representatives ahead
of the elections.
Rwanda is a dormant volcano that might erupt anytime.
In a statement, the organization said: "The Rwandan government's
decision to deny a work visa to Human Rights Watch's representative in
Kigali demonstrates a pattern of increasing restrictions on free
expression in Rwanda ahead of August's presidential elections."
Earlier this year, Kagame hit back at the activists in an interview
with CNN. He said: "If you are talking about people in the human
rights community from outside...I have an issue with this.
"You tend to make a judgment of a country, 11 million people, on what
a couple of people have said and (they) don't take into account what
Rwandans say."
Kagame added, "Nobody has asked the Rwandans... it's as if they don't
matter in the eyes of the human rights people. It's our own decisions
in the end."
Kagame has been hailed a hero for ending the genocide that happened in
the country between April and June 1994.
Rusesabagina says he has not lived in Rwanda since 1996 when he
survived an assassination attempt.
He now lives in Belgium and travels the world campaigning to raise
awareness of a bloody civil war that has killed seven million people
in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Asked if he considers his actions during the genocide to be heroic, he
says: "I'm not a hero. I'm an ordinary man. People were taking me as a
super human being but I'm as ordinary as you and many others."
CNN - June 10, 2010
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/10/paul.rusesabagina.interview/
Every week CNN's African Voices highlights Africa's most engaging
personalities, exploring the lives and passions of people who rarely
open themselves up to the camera. This week the show profiles Paul
Rusesabagina, who saved the lives of 1,200 people during the Rwandan
genocide, his story portrayed in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda.
London, England (CNN) -- The hotel manager who saved the lives of more
than 1,200 Rwandans during the 1994 genocide has warned that the
country remains in the grip of ethnic tensions that could "erupt
anytime."
Sixteen years after the killings in which an estimated 800,000 to one
million Rwandan Tutsis and moderate Hutus died, Paul Rusesabagina says
lessons have not been learned from past mistakes.
During the genocide, Rusesabagina, the real-life inspiration for the
2004 film "Hotel Rwanda," helped to shelter more than 1,200 people at
the Milles Collines hotel, where he was assistant manager and used
many of his business and political connections to help keep the
building safe.
Rusesabagina is now a human rights campaigner and a critic of Rwanda's
Tutsi-led regime.
He told CNN: "We've changed dancers but the music remains. History
repeats itself and we don't learn."
He added: "What happened in 1992,1993 is now happening again. Since
February 19, there have been many grenade attacks within the country.
Rwanda is now a split country."
"Rwanda is a dormant volcano that might erupt anytime. The ruling
government has created a tiny group of elites that has taken over
everything," he says.
A spokesman from the country's foreign ministry declined to comment on
Rusesabagina's claims, telling CNN: "We have nothing to say about
this."
His comments come amid growing international concern over the arrests
of Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu and her
U.S. lawyer.
According to the Rwanda news agency (RNA), Ingabire was arrested for
allegedly propagating genocide ideology after she called for action to
be taken against those responsible for killing Hutus during the 1994
conflict.
She was freed on bail and had her passport seized. Last month her U.S.
lawyer Peter Erlinder was arrested as he flew into the country to
defend his client. He was held on a genocide denial charge.
Erlinder is lead defense counsel at the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). He remains in prison after being denied
bail Tuesday, the agency reported. Rusesabagina has called for
Erlinder's release.
In a statement on his website, he wrote: "Professor Peter Erlinder was
doing his job as a lawyer. In a civil society that is not grounds for
arrest. If President Kagame considers Rwanda a democracy, he must
release Professor Erlinder immediately."
Human rights activists, including Amnesty International, believe the
arrests are politically motivated as Ingabire plans to challenge
incumbent president Paul Kagame in the upcoming August presidential
elections.
Blog: Meeting the 'quiet hero' of Rwanda's genocide
According to New York-based group, Human Rights Watch, the Rwandan
government has denied a work visa to one of its representatives ahead
of the elections.
Rwanda is a dormant volcano that might erupt anytime.
In a statement, the organization said: "The Rwandan government's
decision to deny a work visa to Human Rights Watch's representative in
Kigali demonstrates a pattern of increasing restrictions on free
expression in Rwanda ahead of August's presidential elections."
Earlier this year, Kagame hit back at the activists in an interview
with CNN. He said: "If you are talking about people in the human
rights community from outside...I have an issue with this.
"You tend to make a judgment of a country, 11 million people, on what
a couple of people have said and (they) don't take into account what
Rwandans say."
Kagame added, "Nobody has asked the Rwandans... it's as if they don't
matter in the eyes of the human rights people. It's our own decisions
in the end."
Kagame has been hailed a hero for ending the genocide that happened in
the country between April and June 1994.
Rusesabagina says he has not lived in Rwanda since 1996 when he
survived an assassination attempt.
He now lives in Belgium and travels the world campaigning to raise
awareness of a bloody civil war that has killed seven million people
in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Asked if he considers his actions during the genocide to be heroic, he
says: "I'm not a hero. I'm an ordinary man. People were taking me as a
super human being but I'm as ordinary as you and many others."
Christians blamed for anti-gay hatred in Uganda
Christians blamed for anti-gay hatred in Uganda
Andrew Aylward, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/09/MNQP1DRT3V.DTL#ixzz0qWa1xS1i
(06-09) 04:00 PDT Washington- -- A leading Anglican bishop who fled Uganda after receiving death threats blamed U.S. Christian evangelical groups Tuesday for fomenting anti-gay hatred in his native country.
"Often these visitors do more harm than good," Christopher Senyonjo told a conference on gay rights in Uganda sponsored by the liberal Center for American Progress.
The Ugandan government is considering legislation that would impose a life sentence in prison or the death penalty on gays and lesbians convicted of having sex and on those diagnosed with HIV.
After signs last year that the government was backing away from the bill amid threats by Western countries to withdraw aid, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last week told the New Vision, Uganda's leading pro-government newspaper, that he was asking the clergy and African leaders "to guard against Western culture, warning that the continent will end up eaten by homosexuality if they relax."
Senyonjo left Uganda because of his alleged sympathies with gays. He discussed the pending bill with Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay Episcopal bishop in the New Hampshire diocese.
One of the most publicized examples of anti-gay missionaries was Californian Scott Lively, a Citrus Heights evangelical Christian and head of Abiding Truth Ministries. In March 2009, Lively traveled to Kampala, Uganda's capitol, to give a series of talks in which he claimed homosexuality is evil and undermines marriage and family.
Shortly after Lively's trip, Ugandan legislator David Bahati introduced his "Anti-Homosexuality Bill," which in addition to punishing gays and HIV victims would also target groups "promoting homosexuality," effectively banning HIV/AIDS prevention groups.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has condemned the legislation, but made no express threats to withdraw aid. Several members of Congress have considered doing so. Sweden promised to withdraw its $50 million in annual aid, and similar threats by the European Parliament and other international donors, who contribute about a third of Uganda's budget, have sparked a heated debate about the legislation in Uganda.
Ugandan government officials have complained about foreign interference in Uganda's affairs. Museveni last week told the New vision newspaper, "The African Church is the only one that is still standing against homosexuality. The Europeans are finished. If we follow them, we shall end up in Sodom and Gomorrah."
Museveni made the remarks while addressing thousands of pilgrims visiting the Church of Uganda shrine where in 1886, 90 Christians were assassinated on the order of former Uganda King Mwanga II, for refusing to denounce their faith. Museveni said the martyrs were fighting "immorality in Mwanga's palace."
"I hear there was homosexuality in Mwanga's palace," Museveni told the pilgrims. "This was not part of our culture."
Human rights organizations estimate that Uganda is home to about half a million gays and lesbians out of a total population of 31 million.
Senyonjo urged more education about human sexuality in Uganda to deter anti-gay discrimination.
Robinson compared the activities of U.S. evangelical groups to people who accidentally start forest fires. "Just because you didn't intend to burn down trees and homes doesn't mean you are not responsible for it happening," Robinson said.
E-mail Andrew Aylward at andrew@hearstdc.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/09/MNQP1DRT3V.DTL#ixzz0qWaA1k8K
Andrew Aylward, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/09/MNQP1DRT3V.DTL#ixzz0qWa1xS1i
(06-09) 04:00 PDT Washington- -- A leading Anglican bishop who fled Uganda after receiving death threats blamed U.S. Christian evangelical groups Tuesday for fomenting anti-gay hatred in his native country.
"Often these visitors do more harm than good," Christopher Senyonjo told a conference on gay rights in Uganda sponsored by the liberal Center for American Progress.
The Ugandan government is considering legislation that would impose a life sentence in prison or the death penalty on gays and lesbians convicted of having sex and on those diagnosed with HIV.
After signs last year that the government was backing away from the bill amid threats by Western countries to withdraw aid, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last week told the New Vision, Uganda's leading pro-government newspaper, that he was asking the clergy and African leaders "to guard against Western culture, warning that the continent will end up eaten by homosexuality if they relax."
Senyonjo left Uganda because of his alleged sympathies with gays. He discussed the pending bill with Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay Episcopal bishop in the New Hampshire diocese.
One of the most publicized examples of anti-gay missionaries was Californian Scott Lively, a Citrus Heights evangelical Christian and head of Abiding Truth Ministries. In March 2009, Lively traveled to Kampala, Uganda's capitol, to give a series of talks in which he claimed homosexuality is evil and undermines marriage and family.
Shortly after Lively's trip, Ugandan legislator David Bahati introduced his "Anti-Homosexuality Bill," which in addition to punishing gays and HIV victims would also target groups "promoting homosexuality," effectively banning HIV/AIDS prevention groups.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has condemned the legislation, but made no express threats to withdraw aid. Several members of Congress have considered doing so. Sweden promised to withdraw its $50 million in annual aid, and similar threats by the European Parliament and other international donors, who contribute about a third of Uganda's budget, have sparked a heated debate about the legislation in Uganda.
Ugandan government officials have complained about foreign interference in Uganda's affairs. Museveni last week told the New vision newspaper, "The African Church is the only one that is still standing against homosexuality. The Europeans are finished. If we follow them, we shall end up in Sodom and Gomorrah."
Museveni made the remarks while addressing thousands of pilgrims visiting the Church of Uganda shrine where in 1886, 90 Christians were assassinated on the order of former Uganda King Mwanga II, for refusing to denounce their faith. Museveni said the martyrs were fighting "immorality in Mwanga's palace."
"I hear there was homosexuality in Mwanga's palace," Museveni told the pilgrims. "This was not part of our culture."
Human rights organizations estimate that Uganda is home to about half a million gays and lesbians out of a total population of 31 million.
Senyonjo urged more education about human sexuality in Uganda to deter anti-gay discrimination.
Robinson compared the activities of U.S. evangelical groups to people who accidentally start forest fires. "Just because you didn't intend to burn down trees and homes doesn't mean you are not responsible for it happening," Robinson said.
E-mail Andrew Aylward at andrew@hearstdc.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/09/MNQP1DRT3V.DTL#ixzz0qWaA1k8K
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