Museveni’s Brother Gen Salim Saleh denies breaking Ndeeba Anglican Church: “In the name of God. I want to swear to you that I am not involved in breaking churches... That is crazy for one to think that Saleh can break a church: “I don’t have any property in Kampala, the only one I have is the one in Mbuya, a house. I sold everything in Kampala….when I was chased from the army
https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/08/musevenis-brother-gen-salim-saleh.html40 year-old Ndeeba church razed, police officers arrested
Written by URN
The bishop of Namirembe diocese, The Rt
Rev Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira has expressed dismay at the demolition of
St Peter’s church, Ndeeba.
The 40-year-old structure was razed under the cover of darkness,
purportedly over a longstanding wrangle between the church leadership
and a businessman only identified as Dodovico. For several months, the
building was guarded by police.
“Today [Monday, August 10) we woke up to a disheartening development
about the demolition of the church in Ndeeba...very unfortunate for an
issue which has been handled since 1981 to conclude in such a manner. It
hurts all of us and in a special way the Christians of St Peter’s
Church Ndeeba,” the bishop said in an audio statement issued Monday.
He added that the beauty of the church
structure was a clear manifest of the effort Christians invested in
putting up the magnificent church, which was razed within
minutes. Sadly, he added, callous people took advantage of the night
curfew to erase the church history.
He appealed to Christians to continue focusing on God and take note
of the trying times during which evil is being dignified. Bishop
Luwalira said the act will not destroy the belief of the people.
Luwalira said land grabbers all over the country should rethink their
actions. He assured Christians that the Church will not be derailed
from spreading the gospel.
In a statement issued Monday, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said police opened an investigation into the demolition of the church and three police commanders were arrested.
They are David Epedu, the Katwe divisional police commander, Mugira
Yeko Kato, the officer in charge of Ndeeba police Station and Isabirye
Kaloli, the Kampala Metropolitan South Region Field Force Unit (FFU)
commander. According to Onyango, the officers have been charged with
neglect of duty.
And eleven other suspects were also arrested in connection with the
incident. They are Mohammad Kawooya, Muniru Bbosa, Amza Kiberu, Abbasi
Mutebi, Ali Bulega, Simon Matovu, Ali Kalika, Andrew Mujuzi, Badru
Ssekito, John Isirinya and Bashir Maruti.
Residents at the scene looking through the rubble following the demoilition of the church on Sunday night. PHOTO | MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
Dodo Mwanje, the man behind city church demolition
Wednesday August 12 2020
Dodovico
Mwanje, a “mechanic”, who contributed Shs15m during a fundraising
service, razed a 45-year-old Anglican Church on Sunday night.
The Christians at St Peter’s Church at Ndeeba in Kampala know Mwanje as Dodo, a wealthy man who rose from grass to grace.
He was a humble church member in the 1990s and lived as a self-effacing mechanic before relocating to Kololo, an upscale suburb in Kampala. Ndeeba residents describe Mwanje as a soft spoken person of about 60 years.
He is said to have arrived from Kiboga District and settled in Ndeeba, Rubaga Division, where he operated a garage in the 1990s.
The Christians at St Peter’s Church at Ndeeba in Kampala know Mwanje as Dodo, a wealthy man who rose from grass to grace.
He was a humble church member in the 1990s and lived as a self-effacing mechanic before relocating to Kololo, an upscale suburb in Kampala. Ndeeba residents describe Mwanje as a soft spoken person of about 60 years.
He is said to have arrived from Kiboga District and settled in Ndeeba, Rubaga Division, where he operated a garage in the 1990s.
His turning point came when he struck a deal with Uganda People’s Defence Forces to repair their vehicles.
At
that time, his garage was located near the Old St Peter’s Church and as
one of the believers, he would freely interact with other church
members.
Mr David Kavuma, an elder at St Peter’s Church, says he has known Mwanje for almost three decades.
Property mogul
“He has grown up from here (Ndeeba). Many of us know him as a mechanic. He used to repair military vehicles. He also had a shop near Masaku building in Mutaawe Zone. I think he ended the garage works in 2004,” Mr Kavuma said.
“He has grown up from here (Ndeeba). Many of us know him as a mechanic. He used to repair military vehicles. He also had a shop near Masaku building in Mutaawe Zone. I think he ended the garage works in 2004,” Mr Kavuma said.
He recalls how Mwanje accrued lots of
money through networking from his garage and he would later abandon his
mechanic business to turn into a real estate kingpin.
“Within Ndeeba, there is no other person equated to him in the
number of buildings or wealth he has. He was our church member and he
contributed Shs15m in 2005 during fundraising,” Mr Kavuma said.
Mr
Dan Katende recounted how Dodo in 2007 asked the church to lease him an
acre of church land but he did not succeed because the land had other
church projects, including a washing bay, two garages, plants and
kiosks.
“He offered that he would pay the church
Shs300m per year but the administration refused. At the time the church
was led by lay reader Godfrey Ssebina (now reverend),” he said.
Mr Katende and other church members suspect the church refusal could have infuriated Dodo.
They
accuse him of plotting to take over the church land and working with
the children of Evelyn Nacwa, the registered proprietor of the disputed
land, to evict the church. However, the church members did not show
evidence to confirm the claims.