Premier Rugunda commends Bible Society

By Raymond Baguma                                  

Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has commended the Bible Society in Africa for its role in translating the Bible into indigenous languages, which has enabled Christians to receive God’s word.

Rugunda said this in remarks read for him by the minister for general duties Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere during the opening of the consultative meeting for Chief Executive Officers of Bible Societies from 31 African countries.

“We passionately commend the untiring work of Bible Society in Africa to make sure that God’s word reaches people in all languages that they understand,” said Dr. Rugunda.

He cited the Bible Society’s role in translating the Bible into the Luganda language in 1896 and later the translation of the Bible into Runyankore/Rukiga languages in 1964.

The Prime Minister said that the Christian Bible carries the message of peace and development but the effective delivery of the Christian gospel faces challenges that include illiteracy.

“The aim of education is to transform lives through acquisition of skills. The objective of the Bible Society can be achieved if there is a literate society to read and understand,” Rugunda added.

He said it is the reason why Government of Uganda began programmes to provide free education, because understanding of issues of peace and development requires a certain level of education.

The five-day meeting taking place at Speke Resort Munyonyo is held under the theme; “unlocking the potential and securing Africa’s future Bible work,”  and has attracted participants from Asia, Australia, UK and the US.

The represented African countries include Mali, Benin, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Lesotho, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ghana, Gabon, Gambia and Nigeria.

Others are Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Swaziland, Togo, Zimbabwe and hosts Uganda.

Present at the opening were High Court Judge Ezekiel Muhanguzi who is also the chairperson of the Bible Society of Uganda, and Monsignor John Wynand Katende the head of political affairs in Kampala Archdiocese.

During the same meeting, the Archbishop of Kampala Cyprian Lwanga however noted that challenges remain; with the cost of the Bible remaining too high for the Christian faithfuls to afford.

Lwanga said, “Those who come to church are not the richest people; yet Christians want to have copies of the Bible in their homes.”