Bishop Kahuma lifts ban on politicians, calls for reconciliation
Oct 02, 2023
Kahuma castigated the habit of worshipping human beings and cults and pretence to belong to other religious sects, an act he described as sacrilegious, blasphemous, apostasy, and hypocritical.
Bishop Samuel Kahuma confirming children at Naigana sss in Kagadi district. (Photos by Andrew Musinguzi)
Andrew Musinguzi
Journalist @New Vision
_________________________ Bishop Samuel Kahuma with clergy and christians at Naigana sss in Kagadi district.
Bunyoro Kitara Diocese bishop the Rt. Rev. Samuel Kahuma has lifted a ban prohibiting politicians from attending Church services and events. The ban was recently imposed on Politicians by the Kagadi inter-religious council over the Kapyemi Healing City saga.
Bishop Kahuma made the pronouncement while presiding over the confirmation service and commissioning of a multi-million boy dormitory at Naigana Secondary School in Naigana archdeaconry, Kyanaisoke sub-county in Kagadi district.
‘’I wish to declare on behalf of the Anglican Church and my behalf that the Church no longer holds Kagadi district LC5 chairperson Yosia Ndibwami and his councilor guilty of a previous misunderstanding. I now absolve him before this congregation that they are free to attend church services," Kahuma said.
He added that Church leaders have no authority to bar any person from attending Church services which relieves people of their stress, diseases, and traumatising conditions.
Kahuma said he attended an inter-religious council meeting where a section of politicians in Kagadi district was up in arms with religious leaders over Kapyemi Healing City where leaders unanimously agreed never to give a platform for speeches to any politician including councillors and their leader during religious functions and events
‘’It is quite sacrilegious to kneel before cults and fail to kneel before the Lord God, the creator of earth and heaven. People who pretend to belong to other sects abandoning their faith on grounds of politics and other uncalled-for things should repent and return to the lord’’, said Kaahuma.
Kahuma castigated the habit of worshipping human beings and cults and pretence to belong to other religious sects, an act he described as sacrilegious, blasphemous, apostasy, and hypocritical.
It is remembered that recently, the Kagadi inter-religious council leaders in their meeting banned Ndibwami and the district councillors from attending Church services and events over allegedly supporting the creation of Kapyemi healing city within the boundaries of Kagadi district.
Nbibwami was also allegedly accused of holding private meetings with Faith of Unity leaders and taking unapproved documents by the council and other relevant authorities to the local government ministry over the creation of Kapyemi Healing City for the Faith of Unity than creating of Kagadi Municipality.
What sparked the fire was that during the inter-religious council meeting which attracted bishops from all religious denominations in Bunyoro held at St. Ambrose Institute of Sciences recently, the accused Ndibwami refused to apologise before the council, which prompted a ban on all politicians from attending religious functions.
Move contravenes freedom of worship
According to Bishop Kahuma, banning Politicians from attending Church and speaking at events contravenes their right to freedom of worship and speech. He says nobody has a right to deny anyone from exercising their right in Uganda, especially on freedom of worship.
Bishop Kahuma said he was aware that his decision would annoy some of his fellow religious leaders, but asked them to also do the same since nobody has a right to declare anybody a sinner apart from God. He, however, said is not a spokesperson for other religious denominations, but only speaking on behalf of the Church of Uganda.
However, Bishop Kahuma clarified that the lifting of the ban will only apply to events and services led by the Church of Uganda. ‘’Nobody has the moral authority to stop any person from accessing the house of the Lord and the Church shall always preach unity, peace, forgiveness repentance, and reconciliation," Kahuma said.
Bishop Kahuma confirmed over 30 children into the Christian faith and commissioned a multi-million boys’ dormitory.
Speaking to New Vision Online on the phone, the chairperson of the Kagadi inter-religious council, Pastor Ibrahim K. Magezi, denied receiving any information regarding the lifting of the ban by Bishop Samuel Kahuma.
Pastor Magezi said once he receives the information that’s when he will speak to the media about the matter.
Kahuma thanked
Ndibwami appreciated Bishop Kahuma for forgiving them and urged other religious denominations to emulate them.
‘’I am happy with the Bishop’s forgiveness and I ask other religious denominations to borrow a leaf from the Bishop’’ said Ndibwami
Ndibwami pledged to engage other oppressed religious leaders over the creation of Kapyemi healing city to also forgive them for peace and harmony between religious leaders and a section of politicians in Kagadi district.
School challenges
Patrick Chance, the headteacher of Naigana SSS, said his school is the oldest institution in greater Kibaale which was established in 1967 but lacks enough teachers on the government payroll, laboratory equipment, dormitories, and school bus asking the Government to render help to the school in form of transport means of a school bus following the robbery of the school truck during the 1980’s bush war struggles.
‘’Naigana SSS, a government-aided day and boarding school, is the oldest school in this region and needs help. Out of 30 teachers in the school of over 650 students, only 12 are on the Government payroll, while 18 are private teachers paid by the Government. We also lack laboratory equipment and staff quarters’’, said Chance.
Leo Kiwanuka an old boy of the school said the school is in dire need of help from the Government in the form of school structures, classroom blocks, and a bus.
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