Bad air conditioning at Prayer Breakfast irks President Museveni

Oct 08, 2017

Museveni also read from the Book of Genesis 1:24 before criticising Africans for failure to make innovations, saying that, “in 500 years, all Africa has managed to make is fire and iron.”

The organisers of the 19th National Prayer Breakfast had everything figured, except for one thing, the air conditioner (AC).

Or at least it looked they had until President Yoweri Museveni took to the podium.

The minimal fresh air perturbed the President so much that he gave examples of previous meetings he has attended where organisers again overlooked the need for either a properly functioning air conditioner or opening up the windows and doors.

"These days I do not know what is wrong with people. Last week I was somewhere at a new facility and the situation was the same. If you cannot provide good AC, at least open the windows," Museveni said before delivering his official speech.

When Museveni was invited to speak, it was clear that everyone was feeling so hot, so hot that they kept ordering for bottles of water and hand funning. It is such discomfort that interrupts concentration according to Museveni.

A minute later, no one had heeded the President's advice to at least open the windows, prompting him to order the security to do the needful in Kiswahili.

But that was not the only light moment. The audience was also treated to a very tough-tone and powerful opening prayer for the family by Cecilia Ogwal (Dokolo Women) which rhymed well with this year's theme: … as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord…

Quite extraordinary, the President's speech was only as long as 10 minutes in which he expressed dissatisfaction that Africans are not living up to their Biblical purpose of, "having dominion over nature."

To drive his point home, Museveni picked up his Bible to read from the Book of Genesis 1:24 before criticising Africans for failure to make innovations, saying that, "in 500 years, all Africa has managed to make is fire and iron."

"Even China has been absent, but of late, they have at least copied those innovations. But Africa nothing! I hate this helpless approach where you only pray and shout as if God is deaf," Museveni said.

Earlier, the gathering was also treated melodies from the MPs choir that included the First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports Janet Museveni and the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.

The long key note address from Dr Olusegun Toluhi Ayabami kept spiritual listeners on their feet as it touched general life and leadership.

 

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