Pastor Robert Kayanja's “Image” and the Arrest of Pastor Solomon Male
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/443-pastor-robert-kayanjas-image-and-the-arrest-of-pastor-solomon-male.html
Kato Mivule | December 22, 2010
Those who have been following Uganda's Evangelical Church news in Uganda could not fail to realize that Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center has been on a Media blitz trying to “restore his reputation and image”.
From the holding of a Prayer Breakfast for Uganda's top politicians and press coverage of his wife's “Girl Power” conference, and rubbing shoulders with the Archbishop of York, Ssentamu, Pastor Robert Kayanja has undoubtedly been on a media blitz, doing PR to repair his image rather than that of Jesus Christ with whom there seems to be a large and widening contrast.
A few years ago a group of Ugandan Pastors reported to the Ugandan Police cases of boys who claimed they had been sexually molested by some of Uganda's mega church Pastors including Pastor Robert Kayanja. One of the Pastors, Grace Kitaka resigned, others, including Pastor Robert Kayanja vehemently denied the allegations.
The Ugandan Police claimed to have carried out investigations but made a turning surprise when they received large donation for housing renovations for the Police department from Pastor Robert Kayanja. The Police then accused the victims of sexual abuse of making false allegations and tainting the “image” of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
The young boys who had reported to their local Pastors that they were sexually abused, were instead hunted by police and arrested. The Pastors who had obeyed Ugandan laws by reporting the allegations of sexual abuse to police were in turn arrested, others are still fighting court cases in Ugandan courts of law. As of Ugandan media reports Pastor Solomon Male together with his lawyer were arrested by Ugandan Police personnel and accused of making false allegations against the “reputation” of Robert Kayanja.
What these Pastors, headed by Pastor Male had simply done was to bring the concerns and serious allegations of sexual abuse to Ugandan Authorities. Instead corruption and injustice ruled the day and the abused became the accused. This is one reason why the Ugandan Anti Homosexual Bill was strongly supported by Pastor Solomon Male and others who saw no way of escape and justice but rather blamed the Gay community for all the child sexual abuse cases in Uganda as a consequence and thus derailed their fight against Child Abuse and Sexual Molestation that continues to plague Uganda.
Yet this turn of events by Ugandan authorities arresting Pastor Male for simply reporting that young boys are being sexually molested is not only wrong and unjust but plain evil. Further still, arresting his lawyer only shows that justice in Uganda belongs to the select few, the powerful politicians in unholy matrimony with the clergy.
Uganda's Police painted a picture that it is not in their interest to protect the weak in society but rather their mission seems to be the protection of the powerful and well connected, no wonder Uganda still has to fight the “image” of being a banana republic.
Interesting and ironic is that the same government of Uganda that finds resources to protect the “image” of a powerful evangelical preacher is at the same time working hard to pass bills for the execution of gays in Uganda.
Ugandan authorities should have allowed for due process for those who alleged that Robert Kayanja sexually abused them. According to Ugandan Media reports, The Police claim that they could not find any evidence of anal penetration on the victims of sexual abuse and thus cleared Robert Kayanja on any wrong doing. Such claims are not only laughable but show how inept the Ugandan Police are.
Thousands of sexually abused victims do not necessarily have evidence of anal penetration. To look at anal penetration as the only evidence of sexual abuse shows total ignorance, ineptitude, naivety, and absurdity on part of the Ugandan Police. The sexual abuse allegations should have been taken more seriously and experts allowed into the investigation.
Yet even the arrest of Pastor Solomon Male's Lawyer, accusing him of filing a false affidavit on behalf of the sexually abused victims shows that the Police were bent of clearing Robert Kayanja's name and refurbishing his “image” at all costs.
Pastor Robert Kayanja might have momentarily succeeded in repainting his “image” but that image of Jesus Christ in the lives of many has been totally damaged...Pastor Robert Kayanja was more interested in his own “Image” than that of Jesus Christ. Even a local Church commission of inquiry into that matter could have shown some respect for the sexually abused victims and due process – at least according to New Testament teachings.
The “image” we have of Pastor Robert Kayanga now is one of an autocratic Pastor, friend of the powerful and corrupt African politicians, well connected and one with power to thwart justice at any cost.
The story of the fall of mega church preachers continues, from TBN's Paul Crouch, Bishop Eddie Long, Ted Haggard, DayStar's Marcus Lamb, among others, all with money and power...but scandals they cannot prevent.
Pastor Kayanja should have gone the route of Pastor Simon Kayiwa, who after being accused of witchcraft, human sacrifice, and devil worship submitted to a Church commission of inquiry into that matter, the commission later disagreed on the final report but cleared Pastor Kayiwa...instead Pastor Robert Kayanja has set his own precedent...and like the blind leading the blind, the ditch is not far away.
Have safe holidays and remember to give to those in need.
Notes
[1] “New Vision Online : Sodomy case: Pastor Male arrested, Sempa flees.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/741917. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[2] “Daily Monitor: - National |Pastor and advocate detained for implicating Kayanja in sodomy case.” [Online]. Available: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1077294/-/cjw8roz/-/index.html. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[3] “New Vision Online : Oil a blessing to Uganda – Kuteesa.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/741737. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[4] “allAfrica.com: Uganda: Kayanja Promises Greatest of All Crusades.” [Online]. Available: http://allafrica.com/stories/201012130054.html. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[5] “Robert Kayanja - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kayanja. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[6] “List of Christian evangelist scandals - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_evangelist_scandals. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[7] “New Vision Online : Police criticised over Kayanja offer.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/678328. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[8] “New Vision Online : Police clear Pastor Kayanja of sodomy.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/681656. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[9] “New Vision Online : Police arrest Kayanja sodomy accuser.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/681968. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[10] “New Vision Online : Police backtrack on Pastors sodomy case.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/10/10/682120. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
[11] “New Vision Online : Kyazze quizzed over sodomy allegations.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/683410. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
ALSO SEE
Court summons pastors over Kayanja case
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/742228
By Anne Mugisa and Steven candia
COURT has issued criminal summons against four pastors, a State House employee and another man, to answer charges of conspiring to injure the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
Pastors Solomon Male, Martin Ssempa, Michael Kyazze and Bob Kayiira are supposed to appear in court on January 4. Also to report are Anita Kyomuhendo from State House and one David Mukalazi.
It also emerged yesterday that two city advocates, Henry Ddungu and David Kaggwa, who had been charged with the six, were dropped from the charge sheet.
The two are said two have been removed last Friday after it was found that there was no substantial evidence to incriminate them.
Charges against the six were sanctioned by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Monday. However, the accused did not appear in Court, and neither did the lawyer representing them.
The State Attorney, David Lukwago, asked the Grade One Magistrate at Buganda Road Court, John Wekesa, to issue criminal summons against the accused.
Lukwago said the accused were supposed to take plea but they did not turn up.
According to the charge sheet, the accused committed the offence between December 2008 and December 2009.
It stated that the six “conspired to cause injury to the personality, reputation and trade of Kayanja, alleging that he was engaging in homosexual practices.”
Prior to the issuance of the summons, a planned meeting yesterday between the pastors and Police leadership over allegations of harassment by the criminal investigations directorate (CID) flopped.
The pastors failed to turn up and instead sent apologies, prompting the judge to reschedule the meeting for next week.
The pastors were scheduled to meet Okoth Ochola, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, following instruction by Police boss Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura.
“They sent communication that they are unable to attend the meeting given that it is a festive season and many of them were up country. We agreed to postpone the meeting to next week,” Ochola said in a telephone interview.
Serwadda to reconcile pastors in sodomy case
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1080766/-/cjfg9vz/-/index.html
By Ephraim Kasozi & Juliet Kigongo
Posted Thursday, December 30 2010 at 00:00
The Born-again fraternity yesterday asked the State to give them a chance to mediate the wrangles between Pentecostal pastors over sodomy accusations.
Led by Pastor Joseph Serwadda, the pastors pleaded with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to give them some time to resolve the differences and reconcile the warring parties in a biblical manner.
“There is need to seek for repentance and reunite in a spiritual manner,” said Dr Joseph Sserwadda, the leader of the Apostle of Born Again Faith in Uganda.
Dr Sserwadda, also the leader of Victory Christian Church in Ndeeba, explained that the move is intended to allow the church handle its matters spiritually rather than for the secular world to judge.
He, however, warned that if the feuding pastors refuse, they will be treated as foreigners who will be left to the world to be judged.
Dr Sserwadda’s remarks come hardly a day after Buganda Road Court summoned pastors Solomon Male, Michael Kyazze, Martin Ssempa and Robert Kayiira to appear in court on January 4 to answer charges of conspiracy to injure Pastor Robert Kayanja’s reputation.
The pastors were jointly summoned with Mr David Mukalazi, a musician, and Ms Anita Kyomuhendo, a State House employee. Dr Sserwadda made the call while addressing the media at Namboole Stadium on the arrangements for the ninth Passover festival slated for December 31, 2010, to January 1, 2011, which he said have been finalised.
He said the Festival under the theme, “The year of open Heaven is the promise from God”, seeks to pray for the redemption of the nation from the recurring challenges.
“We have had negative challenges like mudslides in Bududa, Kasubi Tombs fire, the bomb blasts and increasing reports of murders. All these are impossible to manage without God’s intervention,” he said.
