Govt asks church to support HIV campaign

By John Agaba

President Yoweri Museveni has asked the church to open a campaign against HIV/Aids.

In a speech read by Matia Kasaija, state minister for finance, planning, at the inauguration of the St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Church in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb, Museveni said HIV is a major problem that needs to be tackled.

He called on the church to also promote preventive healthcare.

“The church has always been associated with promoting good health through church founded hospitals. I thank the church for the good work done,” said Museveni.

He commended the church’s role in shaping the youth, urging it to further inculcate good morals into the young people so “they are not used by opportunists.”

“We know how much violence we have experienced,” said Museveni. “We need to see that the youth are morally up right, and keep away from such vices. So they can put their energy to good use, to things that build the country.”

Museveni asked the church to embrace prosperity for all programs to improve people’s livelihoods. He said that people must learn to earn an honest living and the church can help them.

He said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) will continue to focus on construction of roads, electricity, agriculture, and information and communications technology sectors among others.

The St Charles Lwanga Catholic Church is located on plot 18 Kakungulu Road, Ntinda.  Construction of the church started in April 2009. It is a real beauty inside.

Presiding over its inauguration service, His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala preached the virtue of tolerance and patience in obtaining true peace.

Saying that there was a lot of unhappiness and misery both in Uganda, Cardinal Wamala urged the laity to practice patience.

“We are on Earth. This is not Heaven. So we must tolerate one another,” said Wamala. “We must be Patient.  We must forgive so we can have peace in our hearts, because peace starts from our hearts and our families.”

Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala was also celebrating 87 years. The congregation sang him a Happy Birthday song.

Naguru Parish Priest, Godfrey Kyeyune (the church is under Naggulu Parish) commended all who contributed to the building of God’s house, saying “When we started we had only sh50m. But we were embarking on a project that was to cost us over sh1b. I thank you all and everyone who contributed.”