Friday 28 October 2011

Bishop John Michael Mugerwa has died in a motor accident

UGANDA: Bishop John Michael Mugerwa has died in a motor accident


It is sad that Pastor John Michael Mugerwa has passed on. This is a lesson for all of us to know that we are just pilgrims and sojourners in this world. We should be more concerned with the next life than this life on earth. Dear brothers and sisters we must repent and turn away from the American prosperity Gospel. It is just a lie. Let us preach the gospel of repentance and most important of all let us prepare the saints to meet their Lord.

My 2008 warning to Pastor John Michael Mugerwa

Another Pastor who amuses me is John Michael Mugerwa. According to his biography, he really had a humble beginning. But interestingly, after escaping poverty, instead of preaching the gospel of the kingdom, he is preaching, the blessing of the city on LTV (Omukisa gwe Kibuga). Hiiii!!!!. Dear John Michael, if apostle Paul lived during your time and had the chance to preach to millions of people, do you think he would tell people about the material blessings of the city, like you. Repent and preach the true gospel my dear brother in Christ. (http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html)


SAINTS GATE CHURCH KAMPALA-UGANDA WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR 2011 WITH BISHOP JOHN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxqJMPT-LL8



Two American evangelists perish in Jinja accident


http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18725-two-american-evangelists-perish-in-jinja-accident.html

By Donald Kirya and Herbert Ssempogo
TWO American evangelists are among four people, who perished in a Thursday night accident along the Jinja-Iganga highway.

Dr. Reos Godzck, fellow citizen Leos Both and their hosts namely Bishop John Michael Mugerwa and Ronnie Ssebunya died after a trailer crashed their vehicle at Kakira at 7pm.

According to Jinja police spokesperson, Samsom Lubega, Paul, the driver of a Toyota Super Custom in which the deceased were, attempted to overtake two fuel tankers.

“As he overtook, he realized there was oncoming traffic so he decided to squeeze into a narrow gap between the two trailers,” Lubega stated.

Owing to humps on the road, the trailer in front reduced speed and Paul followed suit, Lubega said, adding that in the next few minutes, the trailer behind rammed into the Super Custom.

Godizic, Both, Mugerwa and Ssebunya died on the spot while Paul was rushed to hospital in Jinja. The police by Friday morning could not establish his state.

A fire brigade team from Jinja had to cut the wreckage to extract the bodies. The remains were taken to the city mortuary in Kampala.

From Phoenix, Arizona in US, the two Americans were here on the invitation of Mugerwa of Fast Assemblies Church located in Nkere zone, Katwe Makindye Division, Kampala.

Earlier in the day, they had attended a crusade for married couples in Namutumba district.

Saidi Nyogolo, the driver of the killer trailer disappeared but the police apprehended his colleague, Hamasi Kaizera. Kaizera disclosed that their vehicles contained jet fuel, which they were driving to Entebbe.

South Eastern traffic chief, Washington Labeja, who assessed the accident scene, attributed the crash to recklessness.

The vehicles were towed to Nalufenya police post traffic police continued investigating the tragedy continued. Accidents are among the leading causes of death in Uganda. Thousands of people perish in accidents annually.



Pastor John Michael Mugerwa's Personal Testimony

http://www.destinyschooluganda.com/Story/JMM.php

Hello my friends, my name is John Michael Mugerwa. I’m happy to introduce myself to you. I was born March 3, 1961 in the jungles, and raised up in those remote places. I grew up in a Catholic family. Both of my parents were Catholic and were also raised up as Catholic. I feared God, though I didn’t know much about salvation. When I was 16 years old, I moved to the city of Kampala, which was the only city we had in Uganda to further pursue my studies. Because by then I had finished my Primary section and I needed to join the Secondary level. I came to Kampala in 1977, but I didn’t go further as far as school was concerned. I ended up dropping out having lost my father who died in 1979. It wasn’t easy for my mother to pay for my school dues. Though she struggled and tried very much, she couldn’t push me ahead for long. She only pushed me for one year, and then in 1980 I dropped out due to the lack of school fees.

When I dropped out of school in 1981, I started working. I got a job washing cars and I started doing that as a source of my income. I washed cars many years, for almost 10 years from 1981 to 1991. However, in 1982 it was a Monday early in the morning, and I was on my way walking to work. One man who was a stranger to me asked me whether it was okay to join me, to walk together to town. I agreed, he joined me and we walked in company, and after we had walked for just a few meters, he asked me, “John, did you go to church yesterday?” Because it was Monday and yesterday was Sunday, so he wanted to know if I had gone to church. I told him “Yes”, and my yes was true because I had gone to church that Sunday. Then he asked me another question, “What did the priest talk about, what did he teach?” I had gone to the church, and attended only the mass, I wasn’t ready for that question, and I didn’t know much about the sermon. But this stranger wanted to know the sermon and I wasn’t able to answer that question. I tried to dodge it by trying to argue with him and say, “You don’t belong to my faith, and I don’t belong to yours, why should you like to know much about my faith?” But the fact is I was only trying to dodge him, I couldn’t answer his question. During that time we started arguing and when he saw that I was arguing even more, I don’t know how it came about, but he reached into his bag and pulled out a new bible and gave it to me. In my life I had never owned a bible so that gift simply shocked me, humbled me and I couldn’t argue with him any more.

When he realized that I had been humbled, he took the advantage of preaching to me and he went ahead and to tell me that I needed to clear my life, put my life right with Jesus. Remember, we are on our way walking but he was busy preaching to me. During that time he went ahead to ask me, “John, were you baptized?” I said, “Yes.” And he asked me, “When was that?” I told him that I was baptized as an infant, but he told me, “But John, you need to know that you must believe first so that you might be baptized.” He told me to open my bible, (because by then it was my bible) to the book of Mark, chapter 16, verse 15. But I didn’t know where the book of Mark was, so he helped me and we opened to the book of Mark, and we read “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel. Whoever believes shall be baptized.” He told me I must believe first so that you might be baptized.

During that sharing a light shone upon my mind and I knew I needed to believe in Jesus Christ to be my personal saviour. I told him, “I need to believe.” He was excited and he took me to the side of the road, it was a busy road. By then I was still a young man and this man led me to confess my sins and to repeat after him a confession prayer. I tried to argue with him, “Brother just give me the directions to your church, and I will come on Sunday”. But he couldn’t let me go, he wanted me to confess the sinners prayer. It was a bit of an embarrassment to me, I knew he wouldn’t let me go, and I didn’t want to disappoint him, thinking that he might even withdraw his bible from me. So I just agreed, he took me to the side of the street and I repeated after him and he told me to speak louder after him, though it was a bit of embarrassment to me, but you know I had to do it.

Then after that, he told me to close my eyes though people were looking at us. Most of them knew me, and they were surprised and wondered what I was doing. It was early in the day and they were wondering what had happened to me. He couldn’t let me go and he prayed over me, this was a Pentecostal man. He just shouted in his prayer and it was a long prayer, but what could I do. Then after that it was time for him to let me go and that is when I realized he wasn’t even going to town, he was just pretending, just using it as a trap to trap people like me. But good enough, he gave me money to catch a bus so that I didn’t have to walk to town. And the balance was enough for me to get lunch and supper for that day. What a blessing I received on the same day, salvation and money.

After that day, I went back home, by then I had entered into a traditional marriage with my wife Evah that happened in the same year. So I went back home and told my wife, she couldn’t believe me what happened, but it was the truth. And she told me “Okay, when you go to church on Sunday, then I will accompany you.” Sunday came and I dressed up and my wife did the same and she accompanied me and we ended up going to the church where that street preacher had directed us. We met him at the door, he introduced us to the pastor and the whole church was excited and received us with joy. When my wife saw what happened, how gladly they received us, she also surrendered her life to Christ on that day. So since then that was our turning point.

We stayed in that church, the pastor loved us, together with the street preacher, they loved us and he started to disciple me. Sometimes I would join him on the streets and we would preach together and then after, I became an interpreter for my pastor. He would preach and I would interpret in Swahili, sometimes he would preach in Swahili and I would interpret in Luganda, the local language mostly spoken here in Kampala. Being an interpreter of a man of God, I became acquainted with the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost would deliver the message some times through me. Then, in 1984 two years after my salvation, there was an apostle in the city, his name is Alex Mitala. Together with my pastor of the local church I was attending, they planted a church in one of the slum areas of Kampala, named Katwe. This was a place full of gangs, prostitutes, thugs, bandits and people of that calibre. So, I was to take the job of pastor to that newly established church. I accepted by the grace of the Lord though I was still young in the Lord and I didn’t know much about ministry. But I accepted by the grace of the Lord and on January 31, 1984 we took over the responsibility and the work of that church.

The church began with only two women, but we had to begin somewhere. It was only the might of the Lord which enabled me to stay. Just imagine, I was from a large church and now here I am beginning with only two women, that even shocked my wife and she went back to our former church. She did not like to come to my new church of only two women. But anyway, I stayed there and served those two ladies, the grace of the Lord was there and I ended up serving them and leading them what to do. One was the secretary, the other was the treasurer and I became the chairman, so the three of us were the elders. From time to time I wanted to quit, I thought that maybe this was not the right place, but spiritual fathers in the city told me to be faithful with few and the Lord would bless me with many.

One time I was attending a minister’s conference and I heard one preacher talking about how faithful Jesus was with one woman at the well, and after that faithfulness, the Lord poured out the whole city to him. That message changed my thinking and I went back and decided to be faithful with the two women, but as I am speaking now I have good news. The church started growing and growing. Right now the church has grown, we have given birth to many sister churches. I have many spiritual sons and have shown them how to plant churches around the nation. The church I started with is still growing and now if you visit us on Sunday morning you will see about 800 people and in the evening service you would see about 2,000 people. So God has just been taking us from glory to glory time after time. That is how the church has been growing, and the Lord has blessed us in that area.

To take you back, remember I had married my wife in 1982 the traditional way. We decided to renew our marriage vows in 1985, and that was a great blessing. As I am speaking right now, the Lord has blessed us so much, as I have told you. Our church has existed for 20 years and we have given birth to over 20 sister churches, and our church has grown to 2,000 people and the Lord continues to bless us. We constructed a church building which accommodated us for seven years, but we outgrew the building and the Lord gave us an additional piece of property. There we have set up a temporary shelter and by the year 2005 we will commence the work of constructing a new church building.

Thursday 27 October 2011

Ghana: Men of God Cautioned Against Materialism, Exploitation

Ghana: Men of God Cautioned Against Materialism, Exploitation

http://allafrica.com/stories/201110260248.html

Sebastian R. Freiku

The Chronicle, 25 October 2011

Kumasi — Apostle Kofi Nkansah-Sarkodie, General Overseer of the Open Arms Ministries at North Suntreso in Kumasi, has admonished Ministers of the Gospel to stay clear of anything that relates to the power of Satan, with the view of performing miracles and wonders for material gain and fame.

The man of God condemned the negative expose of Christendom, following the misconduct of some men of God on the local scene.

Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie, who is also known as Brother Sark, noted that "Satan is seriously at work and infiltrating the ranks of Ministers of the Gospel," and cautioned them to beware and not allow the devil to use them perform miracles and wonders.

According to him, those men of God lose guard and fall to the tricks of Satan. He as well cautioned Ministers against resorting to lies, falsehood, and deceit, because they would be exposed, disgraced, and punished at the end of the day.

Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie pointed out that recent reported cases of fornication, rape, armed robbery, adultery, stealing, and fraud, among other vices allegedly involving some men of God, which situation, he said, was driving many Christians away from God.

"Our church leaders, who should be shepherding the flock towards salvation, are themselves shamefully leading ungodly lifestyles."

The General Overseer has therefore, admonished Christians to be wide awake, lead godly lives, and not sway in their faith, so as not to lose salvation. He also advised unbelievers to repent their sins, and take up to Jesus Christ, in order to escape hellfire.

In a related development, Prophet Emmanuel Amoah of Gentle Prayer Ministry at Atwima Kokoben in the Ashanti Region has cautioned colleague pastors not to exploit the membership of their churches.

He said pastors who exploit and extort monies from their members are doomed and hellbound, because it was not right in the sight of God.

Pastor Amoah said in radio evangelism on BOSS FM in Kumasi recently that men of God who defy divine directive and milk their members dry, would face the wrath of God, and be judged.

He said it was against God's design for pastors to feed fat on members of their congregation.

The concerned man of God pointed to the common feature among most pastors who take care of themselves by living ostentatious lives at the expense of their members as in Ezekiel 34:1-10. Quoting 1 Peter 5:1-4, Prophet Amoah said pastors were bound to willingly take proper care of the flock God entrusts into their care. "Do your work not for pay, but from a real desire to serve," so that they (pastors) will share in God's glory, he advised.

Referring to Ephesians 2:2 and James 4:1-5, Prophet Amoah reiterated that pleasure seekers were God's enemies, and admonished that pastors who desire pleasures and do what pleases them are destined to suffer God's anger.

The Prophet noted that it was common to see the flock shepherding the shepherd, instead of the other way round, and attributed this situation to the fact that some men of God follow and obey the world's evil spirits and disobey God.

"Pastors, who do not do the right thing to save souls are doomed," Prophet Amoah cautioned.

He noted that in the face of lack of proper shepherding, the flock, which is vulnerable, is scattered out of frustration, thus falling prey to from one such pastor to another.

Prophet Amoah has, therefore, urged pastors to respond positively to their calling, and preach salvation to save souls for God's Kingdom, instead of preaching prosperity which never comes to the flock, because in the true sense, they (said pastors) care for themselves.

Prophet Amoah said the admonition to cater for the vulnerable and weak equally applies to politicians, ministers of state, district chief executives, government functionaries, public officers, civil servants and people in positions of trust, including journalists.

Saturday 15 October 2011

Obama sends 100 US troops to Uganda to fight LRA: It is not what you think!!!

First read:

THE MAIN REASON THAT THE U.S. IS TARGETING THE LRA IS THAT IT IS "UNSETTLING" AMERICA'S ATTEMPT TO RAPE THE AREA OF ITS OIL AND MINERAL RIGHTS.

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article026.htm


Crisis In The Congo: Uncovering The Truth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLV9szEu9Ag


Obama sends 100 US troops to Uganda to fight LRA

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18452-obama-sends-100-us-troops-to-uganda-to-fight-lra.html


US President Barack Obama said Friday he is sending 100 "combat-equipped" troops to Uganda to help and advise forces battling Lord's Resistance Army rebels accused of grievous human rights abuses.

The US troops, subject to the approval of national authorities, could also deploy from Uganda into South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Obama said in a message to Congress.

LRA rebels are accused of terrorizing, murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations, and tens of thousands of people died in their 20-year war with security forces in northern Uganda.

"These forces will act as advisors to partner forces that have the goal of removing from the battlefield Joseph Kony and other senior leadership of the LRA," Obama said, but warned they would not lead the fighting themselves.

"Although the US forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces.

"They will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of US military personnel during their deployment."

According to AFP, the president said a small group of troops deployed on Wednesday and that additional forces will deploy over the next month.

Kony, accused of war crimes and wanted by the International Criminal Court, appears to have dropped any national political agenda and in recent years his marauding troops have sown death and destruction in the region.

The civil war effectively ended in 2006 when a peace process was launched, but Kony and his top commanders continue to commit atrocities in remote areas of neighboring countries.

General Carter Ham, the head of US Africa Command, said last week that his best estimate was that Kony was probably in the Central African Republic

AFP
An Excerpt from the letter President Obama Sent to the Congressional Leaders
For more than two decades, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of men, women, and children in central Africa. The LRA continues to commit atrocities across the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan that have a disproportionate impact on regional security. ...

In furtherance of the Congress's stated policy, I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield. I believe that deploying these U.S. Armed Forces furthers U.S. national security interests and foreign policy and will be a significant contribution toward counter-LRA efforts in central Africa.

On October 12, the initial team of U.S. military personnel with appropriate combat equipment deployed to Uganda.

During the next month, additional forces will deploy, including a second combat-equipped team and associated headquarters, communications, and logistics personnel. The total number of U.S. military personnel deploying for this mission is approximately 100.

These forces will act as advisors to partner forces that have the goal of removing from the battlefield Joseph Kony and other senior leadership of the LRA. Our forces will provide information, advice, and assistance to select partner nation forces.

Subject to the approval of each respective host nation, elements of these U.S. forces will deploy into Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The support provided by U.S. forces will enhance regional efforts against the LRA. However, although the U.S. forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces, and they will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of U.S. military personnel during their deployment.

Sourced from: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/10/obama-dispatches-100-troops-to-uganda/1?csp=34news


US denies interest in Uganda oil

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18504-us-denies-interest-in-uganda-oil.html

THE US on Monday denied that its renewed interest in Uganda is a strategy to get hold of the newly found oil in the count.


The US government has announced that it will deploy troops to help Uganda fight the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) who are currently in the Central African Republic.



Critics have said that the only reason that America seems to be coming up strongly to offer troops to help in fighting Kony when they did not when he was killing people here was because of the oil.



But the Charge d’Affairs at the American embassy in Kampala, Virginia Blaser, said yesterday that the US has been helping Uganda with especially with the humanitarian situation in the North where Kony was killing people. She was addressing journalists at a press conference.



“The US is deeply committed to supporting Uganda’s effort to eliminate the threat of LRA and providing humanitarian assistance to LRA affected regions,” Blazer said. “Since 2008, the LRA has been responsible for at least 2,400 attacks and over 3,400 abductions. According to the UN, there have been approximately 250 attacks attributed to the LRQA this year.

She said that over the recent years, the Ugandan military has persevered through some of the most difficult terrain in the world and significantly reduced the LRA numbers and kept them from regrouping.

She insisted that the US troops will assume an advisory, not a combat role. She said that the continued stay of the US troops is dependent on the continued cooperation of regional governments i8n fighting Kony.

“The US military personnel will assume a supporting role to strengthen information-sharing and operational effectiveness against the LRA,” She said and added that the decision to do so was taken in 2009. She said that only a portion of the personnel will travel to the field locations, but also to advise and would only defend themselves if attacked.

President Yoweri Museveni also told journalists on Sunday that American soldiers will not fight Kony, but will advise the Ugandan army.

“We have American advisors not fighters so there are no American troops here,” Museveni said in answer to journalists’ queries at a press conference yesterday.

According to an earlier message by US president Barrack Obama, the , US troops, could also deploy from Uganda into South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

LRA rebels are accused of terrorizing, murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations, and tens of thousands of people died in their 20-year war with security forces in northern Uganda.


According to AFP, the president said a small group of troops deployed on Wednesday and that additional forces will deploy over the next month.

Kony, is wanted by the International Criminal Court, over crimes against humanity appears to have dropped any national political agenda and in recent years his marauding troops have sown death and destruction in the region.

The civil war effectively ended in 2006 when a peace process was launched, but Kony and his top commanders continue to commit atrocities in remote areas of neighboring countries.

Thursday 13 October 2011

Mugabe urged to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe

Mugabe urged to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe


http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/dded840048a5b01aa6d0a65c3e4e6c86/Mugabe-urged-to-end-attacks-on-Anglicans-in-Zimbabwe-20111011

Tuesday 11 October 2011 05:35

The Archbishop of Canterbury asked President Robert Mugabe to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe, where a renegade bishop has forced the faithful out of their churches.

Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, met for two hours with Mugabe at State House to lay out his concerns about the assault on the Church that has seen even teachers and nurses chased from schools and orphanages.

"We have asked in the clearest possible terms that the president use his powers as head of state to put an end to all unacceptable and illegal behaviour," Rowan Williams told reporters afterwards.

"It was a very candid meeting, disagreements were expressed clearly, but I think in a peaceful manner," he said.

"We deeply deplore the manner in which many of the historic assets of the church... hospitals, schools have not only been seized by the breakaway group but are no longer used for the purpose for which were designed."

The police must perfrom their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray

Mugabe, who at 87 has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980, made no comments either before or after the meeting.

Williams later met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's long-time rival who joined a unity government two years ago.

"The police must perform their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray," Tsvangirai said.

Renegade bishop and Mugabe ally Nolbert Kunonga broke away from the Anglican Communion three years ago in a dispute over homosexuality. His new grouping seized all the Church's property and forcefully evicted Anglicans from their places of worship.

Kunonga, who has praised Catholic Mugabe as a "true son of God", has backed the president's violent land reform programme and endorsed his condemnation of homosexuality.


Mugabe, Archbishop of Canterbury set for fiery meeting

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18307-mugabe-archbishop-of-canterbury-set-for-fiery-meeting.html

HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will question the Anglican Church's silence on Western sanctions against him and its position on homosexuality, and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will press him to end violent suppression of the church and its priests at a meeting expected on Monday.

Williams arrived in Zimbabwe on Sunday as part of a tour of southern Africa and is expected to meet 87-year-old Mugabe on Monday. Mugabe has yet to confirm the arrangement.

His spokesman George Charamba told the state-run Sunday Mail in an interview that "if ever" Mugabe and Williams were going to meet, Mugabe would ask why the church had not condemned the sanctions he says are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans.

"Has the Church consorted with the British State to impose sanctions against us?" said Charamba.

Western countries led by former colonial power Britain have maintained financial and travel sanctions on Mugabe and senior members from his ZANU-PF party since 2000 over charges of human rights abuse and electoral fraud. Mugabe denies the charges.

Charamba said that Mugabe had nothing to do with a dispute between the church and a rebel bishop who has taken over Anglican church assets.

The Anglican church is appealing against an Aug. 4 ruling that gave Nolbert Kunonga, a Mugabe supporter who leads a breakaway faction of the church, custody of the Anglican church's Zimbabwean properties.

Kunonga is a former head of the Anglican church in the country but resigned in 2007 claiming homosexual priests and congregants had gained influence in the church, although it does not conduct same-sex marriages or ordain gay priests.

"The second issue that the President wants this man of God (Williams) to clarify is why his Anglican Church thinks homosexuality is good for us and why it should be prescribed for us," said Charamba.

"He (Mugabe) thinks the Archbishop will be polite enough to point to him what portion of the Great Book sanctions homosexuality and sanctions."

Mugabe makes frequent verbal attacks on gays and lesbians and has previously said they are "worse than pigs and dogs".

On Sunday, a group of about 200 members from Kunonga's faction marched in central Harare denouncing homosexuality.

Reverse Psychology: Rwanda to send back minerals to the DRC

FIRST READ: Impunity and Complicity in the Genocide in Rwanda and Congo: African Mercenaries for the American New world order system

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2011/09/impunity-and-complicity-in-genocide-in.html


Rwanda to send back minerals to the DRC

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18400-rwanda-to-send-back-minerals-to-the-drc.html

KIGALI,Rwanda - Government has announced that it will soon send back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 70 tonnes (70,000Kgs) of untagged minerals smuggled into the country.

The New Times daily published in Kigali yesterday quoted Dr Michael Biryabarema, the Director General for Mines and Geology in the Ministry of Natural Resources, saying the handover date was yet to be determined by the relevant ministers from both countries.

The minerals were seized by Revenue Protection Department’s anti-smuggling unit as they were sneaked into the country, from DRC, through the western corridors of Rusizi and Rubavu, over the last five months, Biryabarema said.

They include cassitarite and wolframite, tungsten and tantalum, he added.

“We no longer export untagged minerals. So, any minerals that come into Rwanda without a tag are impounded and taken back to the country of origin,” Biryabarema said.

In January, this year, Rwanda set up a mineral tagging and sealing scheme that is internationally recognised as the iTSCi project, which aims at curbing illegal trading of minerals, particularly from conflict areas in the DRC.

DRC is singled out as a conflict zone.

Between March and September this year, 91,000 Kgs of smuggled minerals have been impounded. 55,000kgs in Rubavu district, 27,000 in Rusizi and 9,000 in Kigali.

The 70,000kgs to be sent back to DRC are part of 91,000 kgs impounded. The ministry of Mines is in the process of identifying the origin of the remaining minerals.

The US passed a law putting an end to the exportation of untagged minerals in July 2010, with the aim of discouraging trading in ‘blood minerals’, a requirement that came into force in April, 2011.

Rwanda has the capacity to tag up to 98 percent of its minerals.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

President Museveni calls for inter religious cooperation

President Museveni calls for inter religious cooperation

http://www.256newsonline.com/index.php?category=stories&id=441&cd=1&hl=President%20Museveni%20calls%20for%20inter%20religious%20cooperation

9th,October 2011

President Yoweri Museveni has said that the movement of righteous people from all religions is good for society.


The President was this morning speaking during the annual Uganda National Prayer Breakfast held at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The 13th Uganda National Prayer Breakfast is a brainchild of the Uganda Parliamentarians that is traditionally held to give Uganda a spiritual strength as the country prepares for the annual Independence Day Anniversary celebrations that fall on October 09th.


This year’s Prayer Breakfast session was held under the theme: “For God and My Country: A Call for Excellence in service”. In reference to the Bible, the President urged Uganda Parliamentarians and leaders at large to “let your light shine before the people so that they may praise you for the good deeds.”


President Museveni commended Mr. Steven Akabway former Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Ms. Allen Kagina presently the URA Commissioner General and Ms. Jennipher Musisi a former employee at the national tax body, for having served as exemplary tax collectors in the Uganda Revenue Authority.


He noted that they were among the people who have served without stealing the tax payers’ money and attributed this to their commitment to their faith. He further commended Ms. Musisi, now the Executive Director of Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) for the good start in her new assignment of reorganizing the City of Kampala into a better place.


Mr. Museveni also challenged Africans to multiply their God-given talents adding that the continent’s major challenge is underdevelopment. He warned that Africans must not remain weak thereby offering a bait to greedy people to steal from the innocent ones. He strongly called for efforts to tame and dominate nature but also cautioned leaders against dividing the people along unprincipled sectarian lines.


The wife of the President, Mrs. Janet Museveni, prayed to God to visit Uganda with a heart of blessings as the country enters its jubilee year of Uhuru. She also prayed for permanent peace and harmony as well for all people to work with integrity.


The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, saluted the President for promoting African women. She also lauded him for facilitating and attending the national prayer breakfast.


The guest Speaker, who is the Ambassador of Zambia to Belgium, Dr. Inonge Lewanika, said that by attending the national prayer breakfast, became a dream come true. She challenged the leaders to work for the good of the future generations adding that “dig wells for the good of the people.”


The Minister of Health, Dr. Christine Ondoa in her testimony, revealed that she has achieved a lot due to her commitment to God. She noted that “we are blessed to have President Museveni who has a good vision for the country”.


Museveni wanted Musisi for judiciary


http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15398&Itemid=59

Written by David Tash Lumu Monday, 10 October 2011 00:05

President Museveni has said Jennifer Musisi, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director, turned down an offer of an appointment to the judiciary and chose to take up the challenge of cleaning up Kampala.

“I wanted her to bring some Christianity and godliness to the judiciary, so I called her and told her to apply to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), but she said: ‘I cannot apply to be a judge’,” Museveni said.

The President, who was speaking at the 13th national prayer breakfast at Hotel Africana on Saturday, added that he did not give up on his quest to persuade the woman he describes as a “heroine”.

“I later told her that if you don’t want to go to the judiciary, why don’t you become a garbage cleaner? She agreed.”

Museveni said he does not regret having appointed Musisi as ED of Kampala and that very soon, he will write a letter congratulating her for “saving us from the floods at Clock Tower”.

“KCC had become a centre of filth, dirt, theft and disorganisation, but for the short time this woman has been there, you have all seen the work,” he said.

Musisi belongs to a group of people the President describes as “righteous” and whom he believes will change the way his government operates by restoring integrity. Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General Allen Kagina and Health minister Christine Androa are some of the other people in this group that Museveni mentioned.

He implored born-again Christians (balokole) to continue nurturing “a nursery of producing cadres who can deliver excellent service”.

But, in his usual humorous way, Museveni turned around and described the style of worship in balokole churches as “simply just jumping and dancing around”.

He was prompted to say this shortly after Androa’s testimony detailing how God compelled the President to appoint her a minister even when she had never had any connection to him.

“I didn’t know that Androa belongs to one of these churches where they dance and shout. They simply just jump and dance around. You see, I was tired of corrupt doctors and I told my network to look around and they contacted her,” Museveni said.

The joke sparked off some grumbling in the audience, but Museveni tactfully calmed the people when he reaffirmed that Androa’s appointment was ordained by God: “She told me that I was compelled by God to appoint her. It’s true that I was compelled; God compelled me”.

However, the President maintained that balokole are “mad”. Quoting from stories his grandmother used to tell him, Museveni said if she was still alive, she would say, “You are beyond madness”.

He said one of the reasons he remains close to balokole is the fact that they do not indulge in alcohol. “You are mad without drinking alcohol. Since you don’t drink alcohol, I welcome you. Anybody who is voluntarily mad without [the influence of] alcohol, I welcome,” he said.

The guest speaker, Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika, advised Museveni and other leaders to start planning for Africa’s future generation if they are to change the continent from “a problem to a solution”.

“Are we digging wells for the future generation? We are here because someone dug a well for us. What are we doing for our children?” she asked.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, said the prayer meeting cost Shs 90 million.

dtlumu@observer.ug

Museveni Warns on Religious Extremism

http://allafrica.com/stories/201008260067.html

Cyprian Musoke, John Ssemakula and Francis Kagolo

The New Vision, 25 August 2010

Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has warned against religious intolerance, saying it is one of the reasons that prompted him and his comrades to go to war in order to stabilize the country.

Addressing the All Africa Bishops Conference in Entebbe yesterday, Museveni said the formative years of religion in Uganda were characterised by friction between denominations. "There was friction between the Protestants and Catholics and later between the two and Muslims. Protestants came in 1877 and the Catholics in 1879, but by 1890, we already had a civil war. You can imagine the confusion allegedly in the name of God," he said.

From 1888, he noted, people were killing each other 'on behalf of God'. "I don't know where they met God to instruct them to go and kill each other, you should study this," he told the prelates, throwing them into laughter. That rivalry, Museveni added, went on into the 1970s, climaxing into the (former dictator) Idi Amin regime.

"This problem is one of the issues that formed my political awareness and together with my colleagues, we were determined to stop it. As a Christian, I challenged this and said: 'This is not what God told you to do; you are all wrong'," he said, to thunderous applause. He reminded them of the story of the Good Samaritan who helped a man who had been beaten up by robbers, yet he (Samaritan) was not of the victim's social caste.

"I am always looking for the Good Samaritan. Jesus said we shall know them by their deeds. Not clothes, titles or names, but by their deeds," he stressed. He described the religious wars going on in the world as okuhimbagira, "to disorient oneself in a very fundamental way".

"You fight this one, fight that one; what is your problem? That I am a Muslim? If you are, so what? If I am a Christian, what's your problem?" "You are what you are, I am what I am and everyone of us is here in their own right by the permission of God; so you must accept me the way I am."

He said there were some groups in Kawempe on the outskirts of Kampala some years ago who wanted to riot because somebody had eaten pork. "I don't eat fish because my people call it snake. I don't eat chicken because my people think it makes one unstable, don't eat pork and sheep but I am the number one promoter of piggery in the whole of Uganda.

"I think tolerance is firmly based on the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan," he said. The President, who was jolly and kept cracking jokes, invited the clergy to visit Uganda again, saying it is unique, being on the equator but experiencing permanent snow on Mt. Rwenzori because it is 5,000 metres above sea level. Only Kenya and Ecuador in South America, he added, have such an experience.

Addressing a press conference later, Orombi said they had met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, over homosexuality which has split the Anglican church. "He recognised that he has complicated work to do. We impressed it on him that he had totally gone in a different direction and he has to sort it out," Orombi said.

He said the church in Singapore, south-east Asia and Africa had decided to stick to the Word of God and the Anglican Communion was strengthening its ties with them. "We sympathise with his (Williams) position. It's like having unruly kids in his house and he can't sit down to eat food. We told him no more diplomacy on that matter," he said.

Experts on family issues, maternal health and HIV/AIDS also made their presentations. Dr. Peter Okaalet said the 10 killer diseases in Africa like malaria, HIV/AIDS and accidents are preventable. "Africa has failed to prevent these 10 killer diseases because its health system is overburdened to the extent that it cannot deliver anything," Okaalet said.

"Most of the budgets of the African countries offer $10 to $20 for health per person every year, which cannot do anything."

Sylvia Mwichuli said Africa has the potential to end poverty. "Africa is not doomed, it has a lot of potential and South Africa has just exhibited it when she hosted a successful World Cup recently," she added.

Mwiculi observed that the gap between the rich and the poor who struggle to live is very big and needs to be bridged urgently.

She challenged religious leaders to support people and groups of people who advocate for the positive change on the continent.

Museveni Warns Religious Extremists
http://allafrica.com/stories/200004270093.html
Jonathan Angura and Nathan Etengu
The New Vision, 27 April 2000


Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has said religious extremism will not be tolerated in Uganda. He said having fought the liberation war, he will ensure that Uganda remains a peaceful and organised society.

"We are not going to allow anyone to use religion to disturb the peace we have sacrificed our lives, energy and resources to bring about," Museveni said in a speech read yesterday by second deputy prime minister Moses Ali at the seventh graduation ceremony of the Islamic University in Uganda A total of 289 students, 93 of them women, graduated in various disciplines.

President Tells African Bishops - 'There Should Be No Room for Intolerance Because Everyone is Made in the Image of God'

http://allafrica.com/stories/201008271108.html

Uganda's President Museveni said today that tolerance was a biblical imperative and that Christians should not "have one minute of time wasted" by those promoting prejudice.

Speaking to almost 400 bishops and other guests at the All Africa Bishops Conference in Entebbe this morning, President Museveni used the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan to highlight the need to overcome difference and pursue peace and healing.

Drawing on Ugandan religious history, President Museveni explained it took only ten years after the first convert to Christianity in Uganda before Catholics and Protestants were fighting and killing each other.

"I don't' know where they heard God wanted them to fight and kill each other," he said. "A civil war between those calling themselves Catholics and those calling themselves Protestants! Then there was another war between the two of them and Muslims. They were all fighting on behalf of God, they said."

He recounted the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan to demonstrate that prejudice should not get in the way of peace and helping other human beings. In this New Testament story it is a traditional enemy of the Israelites, a Samaritan, who aids an injured Israelite when members of the Jewish religious elite fail to do so.

"I am always looking for the good Samaritan," he said. "Jesus says you shall know them by their fruits. You shall know them by their actions. Not by their words, not by their addresses, not by their titles, but by their works, by their deeds, by the products of their works."

The President said those of all denominations or faiths needed to recognise one another's right to exist: "If you are a Muslim, so what? I am a Christian. OK, so what's your problem? You are what you are, but I am what I am. We're different...I'm here by the permission of God. You must accept me the way I am whether you want it or not."

He added that anyone promoting intolerance should not "waste one of our minutes with this...We are all created in the image of god, so you are made in the image of god. I don't know whether God is black or white or Chinese, but we are created in his image-that's what the bible says."

He concluded his well-received speech by officially opening the CAPA-run conference for bishops of the Anglican Communion in Africa that is running until Sunday 29 August at the Imperial Beach Hotel, Entebbe. Aims for this conference include mobilising the bishops to tackle the obstacles that continue to keep the continent in conflict, poverty, corruption, poor leadership and disease.