Apostle Serwadda asks Museveni to release Katuramu

By Moses Mulondo

Born Again Faith leader Dr. Joseph Serwadda has appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to put to use the presidential prerogative of mercy enshrined in the Ugandan constitution to pardon prisoners who have genuinely repented and reformed.

Notable of these is former Tooro kingdom prime minister John Sanyu Katuramu, who was convicted in 2001 for masterminding the murder of Prince Happy Kijanangoma on March 25, 1999 in Fort Portal.

His conviction was withheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
 

Former Tooro kingdom prime minister John Sanyu Katuramu was convicted in 2001

 

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A handcuffed Katuramu at court

Speaking before a mammoth crowd that thronged Namboole stadium for end of year prayers, Serwadda revealed that various evangelism efforts have caused many prisoners to repent and reform.

“We have made several visits to the prisons. The gospel is taking root in the prisons of our nation. Prisoners are repenting and are vowing to behave well if released. We ask government to release such prisoners.”

The Presiding Apostle of the Born Again Faith also appealed to the president to release all political prisoners as a precursor for the national reconciliation process.

“Uganda waits for the creation of a reconciliation process involving religious, cultural and political leaders for the new Uganda we want.”

Reminding the nation about the repentance prayer President Museveni made on the eve of Independence Day of 2012, Serwadda asked the president and all national leaders of various categories to genuinely repent and put right what has gone wrong.

‘Our password for 2015’
 

Namboole stadium was filled to the 'brim' during the prayers. (Photo credit: Ronnie Kijjambu)
 

In that prayer two years ago, President Museveni repented his sins, the sins of all Uganda’s past presidents and the sins of Uganda, and committed to God to end Uganda’s evil political history for a new Uganda governed on God’s principles of righteousness and justice.

In his repentance prayer, Museveni said, “I stand here today to close the evil past and especially in the last 50 years of our national leadership history and at the threshold of a new dispensation in the life of this nation.

“I stand here on my own behalf and on behalf of my predecessors to repent. We confess these sins which have greatly hampered our national cohesion and delayed our political, social and economic transformation.”

Calling for the implementation of the president’s repentance prayer, Serwadda said, “We pray that prayer will be adopted and acted upon in parliament and all other public offices. Let it be our password for the New Year.”

As if cursing the corrupt and murderers, the religious leader ‘reported’ them to God so He can deal with them to end the suffering of Ugandans.
 

He commended the Inter-religious Council of Uganda for bringing the Born Again Faith on board and for making the Born Again Faith leader an equal president in the council as leaders of the Muslim Faith, Orthodox Church, Adventist Church, Anglican Church and the Catholic Church.

He commended Gen. Salim Saleh as the best government official due to his development projects in Nakaseke district and Buganda premier Charles Peter Mayiga as the 2014 hero for outstanding leadership anchored on transparency and accountability.

“Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has perfectly demonstrated to all of us that when a leader acts transparently and frequently gives accountability, he wins people’s hearts and achieves so much. I would therefore regard Mayiga Uganda’s hero of 2014. Our prayers for him at the onset of his reign as Katikkiro were not in vain,” Serwadda said.

Born Again Faith spokesman Apostle Charles Tumwine asked President Yoweri Museveni and other national leaders to be obedient to God by ensuring that whatever will be done in 2015 and 2016 will be based on God’s will and principles of love, righteousness and justice.

American Pastor Tom Mahairas confessed he had never been to a big end of year prayer gathering like the one of Namboole.

Various choirs and artists including Pastor Wilson Bugembe and Dr. Tee entertained the gathering.
 

Pastor Wilson Bugembe, who is also a musician, attended the prayers. (Photo credit: Ronnie Kijjambu)

The stadium was flooded with various points of people selling merchandize especially food items and companies like Movit promoting their products.

Movit managers, who have been the main sponsors of the Namboole Passover festival, gave out a car to 32-year-old Samuel Kaddu from Budaka as the winner of the raffle draw for the people who bought their products.