President Museveni has said Born-again Christians – most referred to as the ‘balokole’ – have played an important part in civilizing Uganda.
Museveni, accompanied by the first lady and minister of education and sports, Janet, made these remarks during the three-day funeral programme for the late Archbishop, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo that began this afternoon at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala.
He lauded the faith group for sensitizing his tribe on hygienic and safe food preparation.
“I can bear testimony that Christians do not care about tribes, they care about the tribe of Jesus Christ – Banyankore used to drink unboiled milk but Christians stopped them because it caused disease,” Museveni said.
He was however quick to dismiss teachings that discourage Christians from work purporting that they [believers] are miraculously aided by the Heavenly Father.
“I disagreed with them where they cited the Book of Matthew about birds of the air which do not sow nor reap yet they are fed by the Heavenly Father. They understood this to mean you do not have to work but God will provide for you,” he said. “I have always urged the church to teach people to get out of poverty.”
What rather took mourners by surprise was the president calling himself a “part-time Christian.”
“I’m a part time Christian but I know something about Christianity — I know the commandments (love God with your heart and love your neighbors). Retired Archbishop Nkoyoyo loved God and loved his neighbours,” he stressed.
President Museveni pledged to support developments at the Anglican shrine at Namugongo and the orphanage that Retired Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (RIP) started.
“It has more than 75 blind and deaf children – May the Almighty God rest His soul in eternal peace,” he said.
“Nkoyoyo has run the race and fought a good fight. What matters is what you do while on earth. Someone can die while stealing or in a bar but the archbishop died when his foremost worry was the Namugongo Shrine project that he helped initiate,” he said.
“He used his time on earth to do good and help people. From the testimonies, one can see that the archbishop loved God with all his heart and might, and loved his neighbours. He walked in the footprints of Jesus,” Museveni said.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
