Balokole protest MP Alaso wedding
Jan 01, 2008
LEADERS of born again churches have criticised the Anglican Bishop of Soroti for presiding over the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso Asianut.
By Vision Reporters
LEADERS of born again churches have criticised the Anglican Bishop of Soroti for presiding over the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso Asianut.
Alaso got married to Johnson Ebaju of the Uganda Revenue Authority, on Saturday despite protests from the Pentecostal Assemblies of God and Ebaju’s estranged wife Christine Ikiria whom he reportedly divorced.
Addressing thousands of worshippers on the night of December 31 at Mandela National Stadium Namboole, a group of pastors led by Joseph Sserwadda, said in a statement that Soroti Bishop Charles Obaikol’s action was unacceptable.
"Legal implications notwithstanding, the statements made by Obaikol that the Anglican Church does not recognise marriages conducted in Pentecostal Churches cannot go unchallenged," Sserwadda read the statement in part.
The believers in the 40,202-seater stadium with arms raised and waving white envelopes responded with loud chants of "Amen" and Alleluya", in a ceremony dubbed the 6th Passover Festival.
The statement added: "If there had not been a marriage, in the first instance, and in this case, at a Pentecostal Church, there could not have been a divorce. Records show that Mr. Ebaju was granted a divorce on October 24 at the Magistrates Court in Nakawa."
"In case the bishop needs to be informed, a divorce is dissolution of marriage. How does a whole judge dissolve a marriage that never was? The law does not work in vain or a vacuum." The pastors demanded an apology from Bishop Obaikol.
They also appealed to the government to revisit the religious decrees issued by former president Idi Amin that only recognised Islam, the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.
“We have told the Government over and over again that unless a law is made to the fact that the born again believers (Balokole) are a recognised faith, we shall continue to be treated as second or even lower class citizens of this nation," Sserwadda said.
On the same night at Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral, Pastor Robert Kayanja implored people to thank God for the prevailing peace in Uganda.
"We need to pray for all our neighbouring countries and stop taking things for granted as we begin this year. Who knew that chaos would break out in Kenya during the recent election?†he asked.
At Kampala Pentecostal Church, Pastor Gary Skinner urged the Christians to be faithful role models to make Uganda a better country.
By Alfred Wasike, Flavia Nakagwa, Moses Mulondo and Fred Ouma
LEADERS of born again churches have criticised the Anglican Bishop of Soroti for presiding over the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso Asianut.
Alaso got married to Johnson Ebaju of the Uganda Revenue Authority, on Saturday despite protests from the Pentecostal Assemblies of God and Ebaju’s estranged wife Christine Ikiria whom he reportedly divorced.
Addressing thousands of worshippers on the night of December 31 at Mandela National Stadium Namboole, a group of pastors led by Joseph Sserwadda, said in a statement that Soroti Bishop Charles Obaikol’s action was unacceptable.
"Legal implications notwithstanding, the statements made by Obaikol that the Anglican Church does not recognise marriages conducted in Pentecostal Churches cannot go unchallenged," Sserwadda read the statement in part.
The believers in the 40,202-seater stadium with arms raised and waving white envelopes responded with loud chants of "Amen" and Alleluya", in a ceremony dubbed the 6th Passover Festival.
The statement added: "If there had not been a marriage, in the first instance, and in this case, at a Pentecostal Church, there could not have been a divorce. Records show that Mr. Ebaju was granted a divorce on October 24 at the Magistrates Court in Nakawa."
"In case the bishop needs to be informed, a divorce is dissolution of marriage. How does a whole judge dissolve a marriage that never was? The law does not work in vain or a vacuum." The pastors demanded an apology from Bishop Obaikol.
They also appealed to the government to revisit the religious decrees issued by former president Idi Amin that only recognised Islam, the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.
“We have told the Government over and over again that unless a law is made to the fact that the born again believers (Balokole) are a recognised faith, we shall continue to be treated as second or even lower class citizens of this nation," Sserwadda said.
On the same night at Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral, Pastor Robert Kayanja implored people to thank God for the prevailing peace in Uganda.
"We need to pray for all our neighbouring countries and stop taking things for granted as we begin this year. Who knew that chaos would break out in Kenya during the recent election?†he asked.
At Kampala Pentecostal Church, Pastor Gary Skinner urged the Christians to be faithful role models to make Uganda a better country.
By Alfred Wasike, Flavia Nakagwa, Moses Mulondo and Fred Ouma