By Aaron Sseruyigo
KAMPALA – Born-again Christian leader, Apostle Umar Mulinde has condemned an attempt by State officials to propose what he calls “anti- Balokole” policies.
On Sunday, Umar Mulinde took to social media and said the proposed policy seeking to govern the operations of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations (RFBO) in Uganda should be rejected.
“Mr Lokodo’s anti- Balokole bill should be rejected with a zeal – and actually [he] himself should be out of Cabinet soonest,” the Christian convert from Islam wrote.
Mulinde said for more than four times, Pastors, whose names he did not mention, have approached Hon. Father Simon Lokodo during consultative meetings on the RFBO policy, and say he “doesn’t respect Balokole.”
“He doesn’t respect Balokole and their churches and he always refer to us as mash-rooming church. He has sincere grave perfect hatred on Balokole to the extent that all all those meetings I attended he only brought every bad example from Balokole. This is the same with his permanent secretary (PS),” Mulinde quoted the anonymous Pastors as saying.
“He lessened us to be flies that make sound in his last Consultation meeting I attended at Bugolobi. This is just to mention a few. I can testify all these in his presence and looking to him in the eyes,”
Citing Mathew 18:18, Mulinde said, “the balokole faith is bigger and stronger than just a mere Uganda government minister.”
Meanwhile, Head of the Born-again Faith Federation, Dr Joseph Serwadda while addressing journalists on Sunday at Nambole in preparation for the Passover Festival called the policy “a string of gossip” and added that the only person that seems to know where the policy is, happens to be Hon Fr Simon Lokodo , Minister of Ethics and Integrity.
“The rest of the Senior officials at the Office of the President deny the existence of such policy. Nothing has caused more confusion among the Born Again Churches and related fraternities than this in the recent past,” Dr Sserwadda said.
Adding: “I encourage church leaders to exercise restraint and stop blaming each other. Balokole leaders, instead, should sit down in their fellowships, fraternities and fora, to brainstorm, form opinions, and prepare possible solutions on the issues Government is raising
“The issues raised by Fr Lokodo, namely, registration, training, and property, cannot be wished away! They can only be answered by clearly thought out responses! I know very few occasions where Government was shouted down and they abandoned a desired legislature or an outcome,” he said.
