First Lady urges church to help fight poverty

By Alfred Wandera

THE First Lady and minister for Karamoja Affairs, Janet Museveni, has urged the Church to join hands with Government in the fight against poverty, saying Uganda needs and desires both spiritually healthy as well as economically empowered people.

The First Lady’s remarks were contained in a speech read on her behalf as the chief guest by finance state minister in charge of Planning, David Bahati, at fundraising ceremony for Bishop Balya Girls’ Secondary School at East Rwenzori Diocese Church in Kamwenge district.

“The Government has put in place programmes like the Youth Livelihood programme, Wealth creation, which need to be highlighted by you the church leaders. So we appeal to you to continue the good work of educating our people on these good programmes. The Bible says that the knowledge of God is the beginning of everything and wisdom. We appeal to the people of Kamwenge to put God first in your endeavours so that he gives you strength, health and wisdom,” she noted.

She urged the people of Kamwenge to stand with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in the forthcoming general elections, noting that the NRM Government has been a true ally and friend of the people of Kamwenge and Uganda as a whole.

“There is no any other party or Government that has united the people of Uganda like NRM. It is this spirit of non-sectarianism and non-tribalism called Nationalism which is a central core principle of NRM that has brought this country this far and it is this spirit that the NRM will carry through the elections,” she added.

The Ruhaama legislator acknowledged the good work of the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Aberi Kakyomya Balya, who the school is named after, as a noble man who preached forgiveness, tolerance and reconciliation and cared for the poor and served his church and nation with distinction.

Bishop Balya is the father of the Director General of Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Brig. Ronnie Balya. He was the first African Anglican Bishop in East, Central and Southern Africa.

“In deed, his death on November 26, 1979 at the age of 102 was a big loss to all those who knew him, joked with him, listened to his frank and direct words of wisdom especially during his church sermons, and all those who had the chance to seek his advice in various respects. We are proud that his son Brig. Gen. Ronnie Balya is following in his footsteps to serve this country in key Government position,” Mrs. Museveni said.

Bahati pledged Government’s support to the school to become Government aided, adding that the Government values the Church’s contribution in education, health and building strong moral fabric for Uganda, among other things.

The Ndorwa West Member of Parliament noted that the establishment of Bishop Balya Girls Secondary School is like an oasis in the desert because it is now the only secondary school in the nine Sub-Counties of Kamwenge district.

Bahati also launched a booklet containing the summary of the life history of Bishop Balya, and copies were auctioned to raise funds towards the construction of the school.

Brig. Balya, who is the head of Bishop Balya family tree, thanked the management of the school for honouring their late father by naming the school after him. He pledged to construct two classrooms at the school and contributed sh10m to begin the foundation of the classroom block.

“My father always urged parents to take girls to school. This was after he realised that during his time, girls were being discriminated, denied education and married off at tender age. He did many things for this country. I want to thank you for loving him,” Balya said.

The Bishop of Rwenzori East Diocese, Rt. Rev. Edward Bamucwanira, who presided over the prayers before the opening of the fundraising ceremony, urged parents to educate the girl child, quoting the adage that educating a girl child is educating a nation. Bahati handed him sh20m contribution towards the construction of the school from the First Lady.

Chairman of the school’s fundraising committee, Kateera Turyabagyenyi, said sh300m is needed to clear the school’s sh128m debt and construct classrooms, library and laboratories and computer study centre.

Minister for Presidency and Kampala, Frank Tumwebaze, was represented at the ceremony by his wife, Florence. A host of other dignitaries from the district also attended the function.