President Yoweri Museveni has said that the rapid growth in the number of churches across the country in the recent past is a result of government’s liberal approach to religion.
He observed that due to government’s deliberate decision to not interfere into religious issues, new different faiths have thrived.
The President made the remarks while attending a ceremony at which renowned preacher, Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral renewed his vows with his wife, Jessica Kayanja on Friday. The couple’s silver jubilee anniversary was held at their home in Gaba in Makindye division.
Museveni said that at the time when the first Born Again churches were sprouting in Uganda, some people in the “traditional” religious affiliations advised him to ban them but he declined.
“When these people were starting their churches, some Pastors of big churches came to me and told me to stop the ‘Balokole’ from deceiving people about performing miracles,” Museveni said.
He said the traditional pastors wanted him to use government power to reign on the Born Again faith “but I told them if they were pretending to perform miracles, God was watching and would deal with them”.
As a result, he noted, the number of Born Again Christians has gone up to 14% of the total population of Uganda.
The most recent census (2014) placed the number of Pentecostal believers in Uganda at 3.7 million people representing 11.1% of the total population. The number grew by 6.4% in 12 years since the 2002 census.
The same 2014 census reported a reduction in Uganda’s tradidional faiths -Catholic and Anglican Christians. Catholics reduced from 41.6% of the total population in 2002 to 39.3% while Anglicans shrunk from 36.7% to 32.0%. But Muslims rose by 1.3%.
“I am very happy that churches have grown which means we made a right decision not to interfere and involve ourselves in the rivalries of faith,” he said.
The President reiterated his call on Christians to work hard rather than praying hard and working less. He thanked Pastor Kayanja for using his pastoral service to encourage people to fight poverty.
Pastor Robert Kayanja thanked the President for honoring the institution of marriage by being present at their function.
“We have done over 3000 weddings to help couples get holy matrimony. Once righteousness comes first, the country is blessed,” Pr Kayanja said.