Museveni opens Miracle Centre cathedral

By Alfred Wasike
AFTER a lengthy standing ovation from more than 10,000 people who welcomed him yesterday, President Yoweri Museveni opened the newly-completed Miracle Centre cathedral at Rubaga in Kampala.
Museveni urged religious bodies and family heads to step up education against moral decay that has led to the emergence of nude dancing, commonly called ekimansulo.
Pastor Robert Kayanja’s cathedral, with a sitting capacity of 10,500, is said to be the largest in East Africa.
“You are attracting our young generation. Package your preaching to attract the young people so that instead of going for ekimansulo, they come here. The failure of spiritual groups and family heads has caused moral decay that has driven our children to ekimansulo,” Museveni said.
The speeches were interspersed with well-choreographed dance troupes singing Christian songs, transmitted to the large audience via two huge video screens hanging from the steel beams of the massive structure.
Museveni and his wife Janet cut a cake designed like the cathedral. In the congregation, were Cabinet ministers and delegates from Africa and beyond. Luckily, the storm that hit the city yesterday, came towards the end of the ceremony.
“Churches like yours and other spiritual organisations must teach our children and other followers about wealth creation. The Bible says don’t just pray, sing and dance and expect miracles. Teach our people how to live profitably. Don’t be like the birds of the air that don’t sow, plough but harvest and eat. You are not birds because God created you as superior beings,” Museveni advised, triggering prolonged applause.
“The Movement fought for a Constitution that advocates for and guarantees freedom of worship. We did not become a Saul by persecuting religious organisations especially the new or young ones like yours. We also did not become a Pontius Pilate who was indifferent to the fate of Jesus Christ. The Movement neither persecutes nor is passive or indifferent to justice,” Museveni said.
With quotes from the Bible, he advised Churches to enhance spirituality, social relations and “implement God’s order that humanity should rule all creatures in the world for the benefit of all.”
Quoting Matthew 5:13, he said, “You Christians and other believers are the salt of the earth. When you lose your flavour, you will be thrown away and trodden upon. So struggle to ensure that you either maintain your sweetness or enhance it.”
First Lady Janet Museveni said she had prayed to God to make Uganda a family of change in Africa. “I thank God that I am alive in Uganda today to see so many of my compatriots praise God. God is going to raise this nation to very great heights.”
Handing over sh25m to Mrs Museveni, who received it on behalf of the Uganda Women’s Efforts to Save Orphans, Kayanja said, “We really appreciate your efforts to save our children.”
“We also have projects in which we look after children. The growth of our Church is closely linked to the history of Uganda in the last 18 years. This place was not habitable because the former armies occupied the Lubiri and surrounding areas, making it very difficult for us to even pray. God bless our leadership today. Amen.”
Ends