By Aaron Sseruyigo
KAMPALA – Church leaders under their umbrella organisation, Born Again Faith have called on the Minister of State for Ethics & Integrity, Hon Fr Simon Lokodo to publicly apologise for accusing Dr Joseph Serwadda of “wielding a document” that mandates him to over-see and also register all Born-again Churches Uganda.
Addressing Journalists on Wednesday at the Born Again Faith head offices in Najjanankumbi, Apostle Charles Tumwine who is the organisation’s Public Relations Officer contrary to Fr Lokodo’s statement and allegations of his sources, they have advocated and assisted many Churches that have been threatened with closure.
Tumwine said Fr Lokodo’s statement because a cause of anxiety, confusion, and division among the Born Again Churches.
“We, the Born Again Faith, do not have any knowledge of the existence of such [a] document, neither have we at any given time, privately or publicly claimed that the Minister of State Fr Simon Lokodo in his personal or official capacity authorised or mandated our Presiding Apostle to register churches,” Apostle Charles Tumwine said.
Adding: “We would like the Hon Minister to avail a copy of the document, short of which we shall demand for the Minister’s retraction of the statement and public apology.”
Apostle Charles Tumwine explained that as the Born-again faith in Uganda, they registered all Churches that subscribed to the organisation even before the proposed policy by the Ethics and Integrity Directorate came into place.
“Churches that subscribed to the Born-again faith have been registered since 2009, we have a structure, methodology – The FBRO Policy is a yesterday thing. Our registration and Pastors that subscribe to us comes from elsewhere and not the ministry of ethics and Integrity,” he said.
On his Part, Dr Serwadda said as the Born Again Faith, they have a right to know who is part of the organisation, and that registration is about identity.
“The Born Again Faith, like any other faith in this country, has its roots in the constitution. There is freedom of worship. We were here, even before the NRM government. Balokole have been here, even before the 50s. constitutionally, we have a right to exist, and in terms of registration we were registered before Father Somon Lokodo became minister,” he said.
