PARLIAMENT – The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga is set to host the 20th National Prayer Breakfast with an aim of “praying for the country and renewing people’s commitment to God.”
The National Prayer Breakfast, which has been organised by the Parliament of Uganda since 1991, is an annual event held on 8 October, ahead of the country’s Independence Day celebrations the following day. It is also the day when Uganda’s 1995 Constitution was promulgated.
In a press conference on Tuesday, 2 October 2018 at Parliament, the Minister of State for Finance, David Bahati, who is also Chairperson Organising Committee for the Breakfast, said the event will be held under the theme, ‘All hard work brings profit but mere talk leads to poverty’.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to be the chief guest at the Prayer Breakfast that will be held at Hotel Africana.
The National Prayer Breakfast has attracted two American keynote speakers: Dr. Derrick Samuels, a motivational speaker and President of the Derrick Samuels Leadership Institute in the United States and Senator James F. Clayborne from Illinois State.
“The purpose of this prayer breakfast is to pray for our country, fellowship and inspire one another and also renew our commitment to God. We are here with absolutely no political affiliations and we actually look forward to reconciliation across all divides,” Bahati said.
He said there will be a youth conference for youth leaders from across the country on Saturday, 6 October, 2018 and a Women’s Forum the following day, Sunday 7 October 2018 ahead of the Prayer Breakfast.
“We will have people reciting from the holy books and testimonies from people within the country; we want to thank God for bringing us this far regardless of all the ups and downs we have faced as a nation,” he noted.
Hon. Jovah Kamateka (NRM, Mitooma District) said that the women’s forum will mainly have prayer and discussions on different topics dwelling on labour and hard work.
Kamateka said the sub-theme of the women’s forum will be ‘Women labour not only in labour’ based on Proverbs 31:10 from the Holy Bible talking about the woman of character who labours for the well-being of her family.
“We want to encourage women to work hard knowing that their work does not only stop at the process of child birth but also toiling for the family,” she said, adding that, “this can only happen with the support of the husband and I urge all you men to support your women”.
Hon. Francis Gonahasa (FDC, Kabweri County) said the background of the prayer breakfast is based on the word of God saying “If all my people who are called by My name come together, their country will be saved’.
“This is intended for all of us from all walks of life and political dimensions to come together to pray for our country. That is why, as a FDC MP, I am here to speak to this topic,” he said.
Additional Reporting by Parliament Press.
