Religious leaders challenged to champion fight against poverty
“I am here to urge faith leaders to balance prayer with practical action, championing economic initiatives, and preserving freedom of worship. Utilise the idle land at your churches and mosques to improve your livelihoods," Seku said before rallying the religious leaders to preach messages that empower people to fight poverty.
Commissioner, National Secretariat for Patriotism Corp (NSPC), Hellen Seku, speaking with Generation Pastors Network patron, Gift Mugisha, shortly after arriving at Kololo grounds. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)
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The commissioner of National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps (NSPC), Hellen Seku, has advised religious leaders to encourage their followers to invest in income-generating activities in order to fight poverty.
“I am here to urge faith leaders to balance prayer with practical action, championing economic initiatives, and preserving freedom of worship. Utilise the idle land at your churches and mosques to improve your livelihoods," Seku said before rallying the religious leaders to preach messages that empower people to fight poverty.
Seku was giving a keynote address at the National Prayer Day, organised by the joint Pentecostal churches under their umbrella organisation, the Generation Pastors Network (GPN), on Tuesday (August 4).
The Prayers, which started at 7:ooam, saw over 200 missionary guests from Kenya, led by Apostle Peter Morwabe, grace the function. The function was also attended by religious leaders from over 65 districts across the country.
Seku went on to call for wealth and job creation among pastors rather than entirely depending on contributions made by the congregation to get food, medical care and education for their children.
“President Yoweri Museveni urges churches to partner with security agencies, mobilise believers to utilise the available peace and support government development programmes,” she observed.
Generation Pastors Network from Kakumiro district joined the prayer congregation at Kololo grounds during National Prayer Day. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)
“The Government views religious institutions as key partners in fighting poverty, corruption, and promoting socio-economic development. I believe pastors can play a significant role in uplifting their communities to make God’s gospel relevant in life,” Seku noted.
The Great Revival Church Kasangati lead pastor, Gift Mugisha, urged religious leaders to utilise the prevailing peace and security to fight poverty among their followers.
He emphasised that churches should focus on more than just prayers and instead encourage their members to participate in government initiatives aimed at eradicating poverty.
“After 4o years of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, the church has been suffering from poor pastors expecting to depend on the church tithe for their daily needs, and this should stop. With a new generational leadership of young people taking the helm of this country, we have established savings and credit organisations to lift them out of poverty,” Mugisha said.
He noted that church leaders need to figure out what to do to fight household poverty.