President Yoweri Museveni
Ntagali enthroned as Museveni preaches against homosexuality
By EPHRAIM KASOZI
Posted Monday, December 17 2012 at 02:00
Posted Monday, December 17 2012 at 02:00
In Summary
The new Archbishop of the Church of Uganda
promised to speed up the completion of the Church House so that it can generate
income for the church.Kampala
The Rt. Rev. Stanley Ntagali was yesterday enthroned as the eighth Archbishop of the province of the Church of Uganda, at a function where President Museveni urged leaders and the public to desist from promoting homosexuality.
Archbishop Ntagali, 57, was sworn-in and handed the Provincial staff at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe, taking over from retiring Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, who has been at the helm of the Anglican Church in Uganda for nine years.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Museveni asked clerics to utilise the pulpits to guide young people and preach against evils such as HIV/Aids and homosexuality. “If there are some homosexuals, we shall not kill or persecute them but there should be no promotion of homosexuality. We cannot accept promotion of homosexuality as if it is a good thing,” Mr Museveni said amid applause.
Commending church
The President, who congratulated Christians and the Church upon rejecting messages about homosexuality, described priests from the USA and Europe as partners in the fight against the vice.
The President’s remarks come amid controversies and media reports of increasing cases of promotion of homosexuality, in protest against a new legislation in offing.
The Anti-gay Bill fronted by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati seeks to stop the promotion of homosexuality, inducement of children into homosexuality and same sex marriages in churches.
Archbishop Ntagali commended his predecessors and the government for the cordial relationship, saying he would uphold and develop the already laid foundation. “I wish to commend Bishop Orombi for spearheading the construction of the Church House and top on my priority is to complete it so that it can begin generating funds for the church,” Archbishop Ntagali said in his maiden speech.
He pledged to work towards reviving believers’ commitment to God as a way of helping the country fight the rampant evils such as defilement, homosexuality, child sacrifice and domestic violence.
Bishop Orombi said he was satisfied with his service upon experiencing change in God’s work throughout the country.
“It was my deepest desire to see Uganda rise and shine. I must commend the Church of Uganda for the trust and the unusual unity among the bishops from the entire province. There is no better honour than to be a pastor and teacher,” Bishop Orombi said, thanking his counterparts from USA and Europe for supporting the church.
Minister Namayanja (L) Pr. Ruguri (C) and MP Bitekyerezo. Photo by Fred Turyakira
SDA church speaks out on
Anti-homosexuality Bill
By Fred Turyakira
THE Seventh -day Adventist (S.D.A) church has commended President Yoweri Museveni and Rebecca Kadaga, the speaker of parliament for their strong stand against homosexuality and corruption in the country.
THE Seventh -day Adventist (S.D.A) church has commended President Yoweri Museveni and Rebecca Kadaga, the speaker of parliament for their strong stand against homosexuality and corruption in the country.
Pastor Blaisious Ruguri, the Seventh - day Adventist church president in East and Central Africa, said the church supports the government in the fight against homosexuality and corruption.
“Our stand is “zero tolerance” to this vice and to western influence on this crucial issue because God says no to it. We are together with the President and the Speaker and we fully support the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. I call upon all religious ministers, all Ugandans, and all Africans to say no to Homosexuality. Let us stand for our sovereignty as Ugandans and as God fearing people even the heavens fall.
He was on Sunday addressing Christians and guests at Mbarara S.D.A church during the inauguration of South-western Uganda Field (SWUF), a level of a diocese in Seventh -day Adventist faith.
They also installed field president, Bishop Bernard Kakuru Bampata at a function attended by State minister for Luwero Triangle who represented President Museveni as the guest of honour.
Namayanja was accompanied by Kyegegwa district woman MP, Flavia Rwabuhoro Kabahenda and the Mbarara Municipality host MP, Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo.
Ruguri added that the church is partnering with the government of Uganda in staging anti-corruption campaigns to fight corruption that has become a cancer eaten out beloved country to the core.
Museveni in a speech read for him by minister Namayanja assured Ugandans that the government will not tolerate homosexuality and corruption vices.
“Government has a policy of fighting corrupt officials and set up anti-corruption institutions such as Inspectorate of general of government, anti-corruption in police force, court among others. It is the President that directed for forensic audit in the office of the Prime Minister that discovered billions of funds embezzled and led to the arrests of senior officials,” the President said.
Museveni warned that government will this time confiscate properties of corrupt officials convicted of swindling public funds as means of fighting the vice.
Namanyanja pledged 300 bags of cement towards the construction of SWUF office structure and promised to deliver the message to the President for his contribution.
MP Bitekyerezo also contributed sh1m while MP Rwabuhoro contributed sh0.2m.
Bishop Bamapata said SWUF covering the territory of 14 political districts of Ankole and Kigezi has 30 primary schools under Universal primary education (UPE) and three secondary schools, Ishaka Adventist SS in Bushenyi district Ruhanga Adventist SS and Kikoni all in Ntungamo district with USE program.
The church owns health institutions including Ishaka Adventists hospital in Bushenyi and Rutoto dispensary in Rubirizi district. The church is also planning to construct another health facility in Mbarara to supplement on government health program however, the church still lack funds and asked for the government support.
Publish Date: Dec 17, 2012
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Prof. Ogenga Latigo( a staunch Catholic )
Anti-homosexuality bill: where is our honesty?
Thursday, 13 December 2012 19:32
Then, I, Andrew Mwenda and few other Ugandans, urged understanding and caution, and counselled against legislating with emotion, prejudice and blunt insensitivity.
Given the violent hostility shown towards homosexuals as a result of the bill, we had hoped that, with sobriety, the bill would be left to die in the 8th Parliament. This, unfortunately was not to be!
When the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga, defended Uganda’s right to legislate on homosexuality at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Canada this October, passion for the bill erupted as never before.
Ugandans told off the western world, arguing that homosexuality was alien to our culture and that we were ready to forego their foreign aid and even die defending our cultural and religious purity.
On her return, Speaker Kadaga was welcomed as a national heroine. In an unprecedented prayer in Parliament, MPs joined hands with Christian fundamentalists such as Pastor Ssempa ? an avid campaigner for the bill ? and Muslim sheikhs in praise of God for the gift of Kadaga.
On her part, the Speaker promised that Parliament would enact the anti-homosexuality law “as a Christmas gift” to Ugandans. Of course, in defending Uganda’s position on the bill in Canada, Speaker Kadaga was absolutely right and her stand was that of a true Ugandan patriot.
However, taking the prayer to Parliament by religious proponents of the bill and her promise to them raised obvious disquiet. Also, looking at the vitriolic response of some Ugandans to the compassionate appeal by Archbishop Desmond Tutu (“Tutu urges Uganda to drop bid to jail homosexuals”, The Red Pepper, December 9, 2012), one must worry for our country.
Rather than this bill being an objective and considered response to a national challenge, the process is now one of blind emotion and prejudice driven by fundamentalist Christians- with their Pharisaic claims of unblemished religious goodness and holier-than-thou attitude.
More importantly, it has become a real national tragedy - of denial and hiding of our moral guilt; of hate campaign against unfortunate members of our society and of exposure of Parliament.
With accusations of homosexuality against prominent Christian preachers in Uganda, paedophilia amongst Catholic priests and ordination of homosexual Protestant bishops and priests in Europe and America, inauguration of a mosque to serve homosexual Muslims in France, etc, and our sad failure to prevent and actively rally against permissiveness (kimansulo, prostitution), witchcraft and corruption that now pervade our country, who amongst us has the moral or religious standing to “throw the first stone”?
The truth is that homosexuality is a social phenomenon that hinges on both a person’s genetic constitution and the social environment to which one is exposed, and is as old as humanity. Contrary to the lies peddled by defenders of the bill, homosexually-oriented people have always been part of our African society.
In my Acholi community, they were never outrightly rejected but were instead quietly helped to cope. Even the story of Kabaka Mwanga and his martyrdom of Christians has a homosexuality twist to it.
It must also be made clear that homosexuality is completely different from sexual abuse by perverted and mentally deranged men who sexually molest babies, lure and sexually abuse young girls and boys (the Mubiru way), rape fellow men, or even practise bestiality.
Rather than the compassion, love and care in normal same sex relationships, theirs is abomination and heartache that no culture on earth tolerates. Secondly, the bill as it is ? “Anti-homosexuality Bill” ? is no more than a piece of hate legislation.
If we had recognized the genetic basis of homosexuality but sought to minimize its spread due to changing social environment, our approach and bill would have been different. A “Prevention of the Propagation of Homosexuality Bill” would be the right bill.
Thirdly, the promotion of any bill, no matter how urgent it is, must not undermine the standing of Parliament and the neutrality of the Speaker. In this particular case, where the speaker already promised the outcome of the bill before due process and parliamentary debate, how will Parliament avoid being labelled a mere
“Rubber Stamp” and how will the image of the speakership as being neutral be sustained?
Lastly, we should enact laws that truly address our challenges and can be effectively implemented without societal disruption. We must stop deluding ourselves that the Anti-homosexuality bill is our God-approved contribution to the world’s fight against moral decay.
For, we are but a tiny and largely inconsequential part of this world with no capacity to swim against its tide. Yes, Parliament can enact the anti-homosexuality law but it will not be a “Christmas gift” to this country.
For, Jesus Christ who was born on Christmas day was a Christ of compassion and love, a sacrifice for sinners, and a Christ to heal and redeem but not condemn and sow hatred.
Merry Christmas to you all.
The author is the former Leader of Opposition, 8th Parliament.
