Is Uganda better off without Pastors and churches?
The year was 1972 when then
president Idi Amin banned Pentecostal Churches in Uganda and many of the
faithful were arrested especially in the Full Gospel church. Just like God’s
ways have it, this was a blessing in disguise because the underground intercession
that followed this is talked about by many of my brothers as the moment that
sparked the present day strength in Pentecostal Churches. Ministries like
Christian Life Church of my elder Pastor Jackson Senyonga, Miracle Center of
Pastor Kayanja and Victory Christian center soon took to their feet in what
would turn up to be a roar of thunder in transformation of this great nation.
Though at first the Pentecostal
Church was a shame, it soon became admirable up to this day where it stands as
adoration such that even members of respectable public offices can associate
with us. Unlike many other movements that rely solely on the praises and
positive media relayed about them to survive, the Pentecostal movement has,
since the start to this day, been showered with massive negative publicity and
endless trials and tribulations but just like the Lord said we should, we
“scripture”.
Since the days of “biwempe, Yesu
eyabba embaawo”, to the criticism on the type of music, the “going to the lake”
for powers, “electronic machine miracles” to all sorts of allegations against
all pastors. If it is not Pastor Kayanja, it is Pastor Jackson Senyonga and the
most challenging part is that at all times, the media has not shown any/enough
interest in acquittals of these men of God but insisted on showing only the
allegations. In one notable case of
2008 that to this day, not very many Ugandans remember, the airplane saga (of
Pastor Jackson Senyonga ) that caught all Ugandan headlines, no newspaper has
taken any crucial step (as it was for the allegations) to put across how the
FBI investigated and showed that the Pastor actually had no wrong doing.
However, when you come to know
the number of people whose lives survive on the names being defamed by weekly
tabloids, it is a pity. All the orphanages, Churches, media houses with
positive messages, national image, employment opportunities that originate from
these “bad” men of God are never put into consideration by tabloid editors who
also believe in “For God and My country”. It is ofcourse not worth noting that
these stories are fabricated (like Kamunye
date where I am alleged to have
split with Pastor Senyonga over money)
Even when there are the “wolves
in sheep skin”, I find it a bad trend that a big percentage of our media has turned
into a place for “stoning”, accusation, and conviction rather than being
investigative to the end. In other words, there is a loss of interest in the
whole case if it doesn’t go the anti-Church way. It is at times like this that
one wonders if the works done by the Church were better off left undone, souls
left unsaved and mouths left in hunger just because of the fear of what the
media will say. In a more ironic way, Amin’s event of 1972 stands as a blessing
because to all brethren, one thing comes to mind: The Lord that passed us
through that (1972/Red Sea), shall provide more in these weekly media battles.
Pastor Jamada Kikomeko
Gyagenda
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