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.
