Former Kampala Mayor Hajj Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, aka Seya, died of cardiac arrest at Kampala International Hospital

Muslim clerics call for immediate burial of Seya

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/muslim-clerics-call-for-immediate-burial-seya-2453678

Thursday October 01 2020

 By Shabibah Nakirigya

When the IMF and World Bank cajole  neo-liberal Uganda to Submit to Global Structural adjustments: Uganda debt reaches crisis levels as Uganda Debt Net work Boss Pleads for Debt Cancellation

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/09/when-imf-and-world-bank-cajoles-neo.html

Towards A New World Order? The Global Debt Crisis and the Privatization of the State: Has the Pandemic Been Used to Precipitate the World into a Spiral of Mass Unemployment, Bankruptcy and Despair? 

 https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/04/towards-new-world-order-global-debt.html

Consider debt relief for poor countries, Museveni tells donors

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/consider-debt-relief-for-poor-countries-museveni-tells-donors-2453344

Wednesday September 30 2020

 By Frederic Musisi

KAMPALA- President Museveni has appealed to world creditors —the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the G20, an elite club of 19 rich countries and the European Union—to consider debt relief for poor countries as they deal with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his speech at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) yesterday, Mr Museveni commended the international community for the support already rendered to poor countries, including Uganda which he said had “weathered the storm” and “has taught us a few lessons” such as adopting digital technologies and import substitution.

“The decision of the IMF, World Bank, and the G20 in April to immediately suspend debt service payments for 76 countries for one year was laudable. However, the agreed suspension of debt is not enough to respond and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, including to navigate its devastating social and economic impacts,” the President said.

“We call for more action on comprehensive debt relief package, particularly debt cancellations by multilateral and bilateral creditors to enable us have acquired funding for the Covid-19 response,” he added.

The speech was read out for him via a video link by Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare. 

Initially, the President had been lined to address the UNGA, the assembly of all the 193 UN member countries but was rescheduled to yesterday by virtue that he delegated. 

Owing to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to ravage the world, the World Bank’s development committee and the G20 finance ministers earlier in April approved a debt moratorium to the poorest countries to allow them concentrate their resources on fighting the pandemic.

The G20 called on private creditors to participate in the initiative on comparable terms, while the World Bank and IMF have been further pushing individual lending countries to write off or suspended bilateral debt to the poorest countries.

 However, there have been mixed reactions on the matter for several reasons, including the several indebted countries having a track record of poor fiduciary management, corruption, and insatiable appetite for expensive loans spent on projects with no immediate returns.

President Museveni further raised alarm bells on terrorism, and climate change, describing it as “one of the greatest challenges of our time” which calls for “effective and bold multilateral actions by us all.”

 

We cannot allow an African Man to enter the Guinness book of records as the oldest man, Why? because it will expose our white lies about black people: Believed to be the world’s oldest man dies at 116: When Uganda's 134 year-old 'Ahuruma' died

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/08/we-cannot-allow-african-man-to-enter.html

Mbale’s oldest woman dies at 121

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mbale-s-oldest-woman-dies-at-121--2453784

Thursday October 01 2020

 By Michael Woniala

A somber mood has engulfed residents of Buwanyanga, Busano Sub-County, Mbale District following the death the area’s oldest person, a woman aged 121.
Yunia Mutuwa Masela who is said to have been born around 1898 died at her home on Wednesday.
Mr Eric Mukwana, a close family friend and former minister of information in Nzu ya Masaba, the Bamasaba cultural institution, said Masela died after a short illness.
 “It is sad news that I confirm that Mummy Masela has died after suffering an illness for just two days and it could be due to her advanced age. We are in preparation for her burial,” Mr Mukwana said before describing Masela’s death as a big blow to the Bamasaba as she has been a source of knowledge.
“The family is not doing fine and we call upon the well-wishers to support us because she deserves a decent burial,” he said.
Mr Stephen Mugoma, Chairman Elgon tourism Network says her death is big blow to the tourism fraternity.
 “It’s indeed a sad day for the tourism sector in the region because she has been a point of reference to everyone that indeed someone can live that long,” Mr Mugoma said.
He, however, blamed government for ignoring his request to support her. 
“She would have lived a little longer if government had been supportive of her welfare. This should be lesson that old people need to be appreciated and deserve to be cared for.”
 Ms Penninah Mugide,76, is the deceased’s  last born and only surviving child. 
Burial has been scheduled for Friday at her ancestral home in Buwanyanga, Busano sub county, Mbale District.
Masela’s death occurred just hours before the world celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons today.
This year has seen an emergence of COVID-19,that has caused an upheaval across the world. 
Considering the higher risks confronted by older persons during the outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19, policy and programmatic interventions must be targeted towards raising awareness of their special needs,” United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres said in a statement.
According to him, recognizing older persons’ contributions to their own health and the multiple roles they play in the preparedness and response phases of current and future pandemics is also important.
Older persons remain chronically invisible despite the Coronavirus pandemic magnifying existing violations of their rights, the humanitarian body said. 
UN expert Claudia Mahler called on States to prioritize older persons in the COVID19 recovery phase and beyond.
Data from the World Population Prospects 2019 (revised) says, "...by 2050, one in six people in the world will be over age 65, up from one in 11 in 2019." For the first time in history, 2018 saw people aged 65 and above outnumber children under five globally.

Satanic Temple Sues Billboard Company for Declining Abortion ‘Religious Ritual’ Advertisements

https://christiannews.net/2020/10/05/satanic-temple-sues-billboard-company-for-declining-abortion-religious-ritual-advertisements/  

By Heather Clark on October 5, 2020

 SALEM, Mass. — The Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple has filed a lawsuit against Lamar Advertising after it declined to run billboard displays in Arkansas and Indiana that promote the organization’s abortion “religious ritual.”

The Satanic Temple (TST), which identifies as non-theistic and views Satan as a metaphor for rebellion rather than an actual living being, says that it is suing Lamar Advertising for religious discrimination and breach of contract.

It states that it had contracted with the company to display eight billboards in Indiana and Arkansas, more specifically at locations near crisis pregnancy centers.

Lamar Advertising allegedly initially had no problem running the abortion advocacy billboards — that is, until they actually saw the designs that were to be run. It said that the four advertisements were “misleading and offensive” and declined to move forward with the contract.

One of the ads at issue depicts a woman (presumed to be Klara Hitler) holding Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and poses the question, “What if abortion had been an option?” Another claimed, “Abortion saves lives” and “Pregnancy complications are the sixth most common cause of death among women ages 20 and 34.”

All of the designs included the statement, “Our religious abortion ritual averts many state restrictions” and included TST’s logo and website.

Lamar Advertising does include a notation in its contract advising that it reserves the right to reject any artwork that it believes to be not “in good taste and in line with the moral standards of the individual communities in which it is to be displayed.”

However, TST Co-Founder Lucien Greaves, who also goes by the name Doug Mesner, argues in a statement, “While it is understandable to be concerned with forcing a private entity to engage in speech or conduct it objects to, this scenario is different. Lamar initially agreed to work with us and their rejection appears to be religiously based. In addition, they have a virtual monopoly in certain regions.”

“In this way, Lamar is able to regulate public-speech and they are not permitted to selectively exclude religious voices they object to,” he asserts.

As previously reported, two female TST members have unsuccessfully challenged state regulations in Missouri, with one court noting, “According to Doe, the Satanic Temple has both ‘politically aware Satanists’ and ‘secularists and advocates for individual liberty’ among its members. Arguably, her own description raises the possibility that her beliefs about abortion may be political, not religious.”

Therefore, the organization recently announced a “religious ritual” involving abortion, which appears to be an angled strategy to ensure that its acts are religious in nature and not merely political.

According to a letter TST created for mothers to present to abortion providers, the ritual involves placing oneself in a “meditative and contemplative state” and reciting certain tenets written by the organization.

“The abortion procedure is central to the ritual,” the letter states. “Throughout the process, I will place myself in a meditative and contemplative state and will focus my mind on diminishing my doubts and reinforcing my confidence in my ability to make decisions that affect my body.”

During the abortion, the third and fifth tenets of TST are to be recited. They state, “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone,” and “Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.”

Upon completion of the abortion, the mother of the now-dead son or daughter is to declare, “By my body, my blood; by my will it is done.”

However, TST Co-Founder Lucien Greaves, who also goes by the name Doug Mesner, argues in a statement, “While it is understandable to be concerned with forcing a private entity to engage in speech or conduct it objects to, this scenario is different. Lamar initially agreed to work with us and their rejection appears to be religiously based. In addition, they have a virtual monopoly in certain regions.”

“In this way, Lamar is able to regulate public-speech and they are not permitted to selectively exclude religious voices they object to,” he asserts.

As previously reported, two female TST members have unsuccessfully challenged state regulations in Missouri, with one court noting, “According to Doe, the Satanic Temple has both ‘politically aware Satanists’ and ‘secularists and advocates for individual liberty’ among its members. Arguably, her own description raises the possibility that her beliefs about abortion may be political, not religious.”

Therefore, the organization recently announced a “religious ritual” involving abortion, which appears to be an angled strategy to ensure that its acts are religious in nature and not merely political.

According to a letter TST created for mothers to present to abortion providers, the ritual involves placing oneself in a “meditative and contemplative state” and reciting certain tenets written by the organization.

“The abortion procedure is central to the ritual,” the letter states. “Throughout the process, I will place myself in a meditative and contemplative state and will focus my mind on diminishing my doubts and reinforcing my confidence in my ability to make decisions that affect my body.”

During the abortion, the third and fifth tenets of TST are to be recited. They state, “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone,” and “Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.”

Upon completion of the abortion, the mother of the now-dead son or daughter is to declare, “By my body, my blood; by my will it is done.”

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. FILE PHOTO/NMG

The Shock Doctrine and the Post-Washington Consensus : When the IMF and World Bank use COVID 19 to squeeze African leaders into accepting Global structural Adjustment Programs : Consider debt relief for poor countries, Museveni tells donors

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-shock-doctrine-and-post-washington.html

When the IMF and World Bank cajole  neo-liberal Uganda to Submit to Global Structural adjustments: Uganda debt reaches crisis levels as Uganda Debt Net work Boss Pleads for Debt Cancellation

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/09/when-imf-and-world-bank-cajoles-neo.html

Towards A New World Order? The Global Debt Crisis and the Privatization of the State: Has the Pandemic Been Used to Precipitate the World into a Spiral of Mass Unemployment, Bankruptcy and Despair? 

 https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/04/towards-new-world-order-global-debt.html

Record-breaking $86bn debt leaves Nigerians stunned

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/record-breaking-86bn-debt-leaves-nigerians-stunned-2458262 

Tuesday October 06 2020

By The East African

Nigeria's debt of $85.9 billion, the highest in history, has become the talking point even as the country celebrated its 60th anniversary on October 1, 2020.

The pressure on the economy has caused an 8.31 per cent increase in debt owed from the total of $79.3 billion recorded in March. By December 2005, Nigeria was rated as one of the most heavily indebted countries, owing $33.9 billion.

Now the talk is on whether the money borrowed had helped or burdened the country.

Abuja’s debt obligation had gone down in 2006 after the country got debt relief. The Paris Club of creditors wrote off $18 billion of that debt, while the country paid off the balance and became largely debt-free.

However, in the years that followed, the public debt spiraled as officials argued for funding budget deficits and critical infrastructure.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 34.89 per cent of the total federal and state public debt is external while domestic accounts for 65.11 per cent.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) reported that the increase by $6.593 billion was accounted for by the $3.36 billion budget support loan from the International Monetary Fund, new domestic borrowing to finance the revised 2020 Appropriation Act, including the issuance of Sukuk, and Promissory Notes issued to settle claims of exporters.

Mortgaged future

The nation’s 2020 Appropriation Act had to be revised in the face of the adverse impact of Covid-19 on revenues and increased expenditure needs on health and economic stimulus amongst others, DMO explained.

In spite of DMO’s reasoning, some stakeholders are concerned that Nigeria remained dependent on oil as the sole revenue-generating resource for such a long time without diversification to other revenue generating sources.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar raised the stakes when he accused government of mortgaging the future of Nigerians and having nothing to show for amassing such debt.

“Nigeria’s sovereignty may have been traded for foreign loans and God forbids our inability to service those loans, the lender country would take ownership of choice infrastructure on the Nigerian soil,” he said.

President of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie, says the debt stock is cause for worry due to  the government’s declining revenue.

Disagreeing with critics, Information and Culture minister, Lai Mohammed, said the ratio of debt to GDP was one of the lowest in the world at 19 per cent as at December 31, 2019.

Unlike in the past when the nation borrowed to “service the crass indulgence of a few fat cats”, the loans being obtained by the current administration were being primarily used to finance infrastructure — roads, railways, bridges and power.

He added that the loans also were long-term in nature, which would benefit present and future generations.

President Muhammadu Buhari on September 28, at a virtual meeting with Presidential Economic Advisory Council, justified the borrowing.

IMF approves aid for world's 28 poorest countries

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/imf-approves-aid-world-s-28-poorest-countries-2458274 

Tuesday October 06 2020

 By AFP

The International Monetary Fund on Monday approved new emergency aid for 28 of the world's poorest countries to help them alleviate their debt and better cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement, which follows a similar measure passed in mid-April for 25 countries, is intended to help the countries cover their debt repayments to the IMF for the next six months and "free up scarce financial resources for vital emergency medical and other relief efforts" during the pandemic.

The 28 countries receiving the second tranche of aid are Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo and Yemen.

Mali is also eligible for aid but has not yet been added to the list because "there is a lack of clarity as to whether the international community recognizes/deals with the current military regime as the government of Mali," the IMF said.

The debt relief is channeled through the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT), which enables the IMF to provide grants to the poorest and most vulnerable countries hit by a natural disaster or public health crisis.

Subject to sufficient resources in the CCRT, grants could be provided for a two-year period through mid-April 2022 for an estimated total amount of $959 million.

The IMF's goal is to endow the CCRT with $1.4 billion so that it can also meet future needs.

To date, $506.5 million has been contributed by several countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, China, Mexico, Sweden, Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Malta.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/galogitho-mak-s-short-tower-in-need-of-rebuilding-2459456

Francis Imbuga’s play Betrayal In The City focuses on the dashed hopes and aspirations of ordinary African citizens in their post-independence governments. Jasper Wendo, one of the main characters, is a frustrated university student leader who engages in activism so as to better his country.

 Jasper faces all kinds of odds in his work of social justice. At some point he blurts out “when the madness of an entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say the man is mad.”  
There are parallels between Jasper Wendo’s life and the life of former Makerere University guild president Renny Stephen Galogitho.  

At a time when the government was under economic pressure due to the structural adjustment programme and considered introducing cost-sharing measures at higher institutions of learning, Galogitho as a student leader opposed such a move. He mobilised students to protest the government’s decision and the student protests went on and on. With only months left to the end of his studies as a medical student, Galogitho. was expelled from Makerere. He sort of fell off the face of the earth after that. 

 Galogitho.’s activism happened at the time when we were A-Level students. Many years down the road, as a priest and serving as a board member of a secondary, I had the privilege of looking at the teachers qualifications and their students’ performance. 

One of the teachers always posted excellent student results, but in the column of the qualifications, his name always had ‘No Degree.’ 
I inquired about the situation and I was told that the teacher was Stephen Renny Galogitho. He was dismissed from Makerere before he finished his degree. All the memories started coming back. 

Githo moved on from the secondary school to try other things in other areas of life. I have kept in touch with him, but life has been tough and sad for him. We regularly talk. I offer counsel or small financial resources I can get. But life has never been the same for him. Many friends abandoned him when he sacrificed his bright future as a proud and an articulate medical doctor.   He is currently unemployed. He depends on friends and well-wishers.
  
When the Makerere University fire broke out and burned the tower, the symbolism in relation to Galogitho’s life could not be missed. Galogitho’s life is the “short tower” that burnt down through expulsion in 1996. 
It is now 25 years since it happened and Galogitho has hit his early 50s. He is rugged, unkempt, poorly dressed, and appears malnourished. 

Jasper Wendo’s words are Galogitho’s words too: “When the madness of an entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say the man is mad.” 
A passionate concern for social justice for those on the fringes and the ensuing frustrations that came of it, make Galogitho walk around like a mad man.

I have a degree from Makerere’s Mass Communication Department. I am proud of the university and feel sad at the burning of the iconic main building and its tower. I plan on making a small financial contribution to the rebuilding efforts. 

One point, however, that I wish to highlight, is that as the university rallies alumni to rebuild the burned down tower, it is also important that alumni consider rebuilding the life of Galogitho so that he gets a life of his own. 

He is the symbolic “short tower” of Makerere that was burned 25 years ago, but has laid in ruins ever since. He is symbolic of Makerere’s history that went up in flames and urgently needs restoration. 
Every time I exchange a text message with Galogitho, I keep asking myself like Eddy Kenzo in his music: “Gavumenti weyayu? 

Past Makerere University guild presidents weyayu? Makerere alumni weyayu?” 
Let us keep politics out of this. Let us focus on rebuilding “the two towers.” 

Fr Fred Jenga is a friend of Galogitho.
fjenga@yahoo.com

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Uganda to build 223km road network inside DRC

The Ugandan cabinet has approved a move that will see government build 223km of road network inside the Democratic Republic of Congo.

byKenneth Kazibwe

The Ugandan cabinet has approved a move that will see government build 223km of road network inside the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The development was announced on Tuesday by the government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo while addressing journalists about various cabinet decisions at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.

 

“Cabinet approved the construction and upgrading of the national road from Kasindi section at the border to Beni(80km) and the integration of the Beni-Butembo axis(54km) to the national road and the Bunagana(border) to Ruchuru- Goma road (89km) on grounds that the project will benefit the government and people of Uganda through economic interconnectivity,” Opondo said.

According to the government spokesperson, the move to construct the 223 kilometre road network will help improve mobility and ease business between the two neighbouring countries as well as improved people to people interconnectivity of the two countries.

“The road network would provide improved security in the eastern DRC and increased trade and investment,” Opondo said.

DRC is one of Uganda’s biggest trading partner with a number of the country’s exports ending up to Kinshasa.

Last year, President Museveni held bilateral talks with newly elected DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi at State House in Entebbe and among key issues discussed included trade, security and bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.

During the meeting, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed agreements to work on key road networks connecting the two countries to ease business.

Museveni said the road network will ease movement of goods and other services between the two countries “so, when you produce, you supply goods, you supply services. But you also create jobs for the youth.”

The President added that the market factor is equally crucial noting that the Ugandan population of 42 million and that of the DRC of 80 million is not enough. He cited China as a country that has a guaranteed market of 1.3 billion people and yet Child is still struggling for markets in other countries.

“We need the market of all of Africa and there should be no taxes at the borders. What we need to concentrate on is the quality of production that can be done in the country where it is cheapest and there will be comparative advantages,” he said.

The latest development underscores the stable relations between Uganda and DR Congo which have been enjoyed over the last decades, albeit complicated by security tensions in the eastern Congo.

 

 

Museveni makes case for trade in Africa as Tshisekedi vows to turn conflict zone into economic hub

President Yoweri Museveni has urged African countries to promote trade as one of the strategies that will ensure the survival of the continent and the prosperity of the people. “Today, Africans must know that trade is a matter of survival. If you don’t trade, you will collapse because prosperity comes from trade,” Museveni said on … Continue reading 

MPs reject plan to spend Shs 200bn on DRC roads

https://observer.ug/news/headlines/66874-mps-reject-plan-to-spend-shs-200bn-on-drc-roads?fbclid=IwAR0lx2gmINZAPgjGS2CqsfVLNOjV8K14U5J0weTHU-rg9BVyDlEY9Mixrhc

October 7, 2020

 

Written by URN

A road in DRC. Photo: Unicef

The parliamentary Budget Committee has rejected, at least for now, a government plan to fund construction of roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo using Ugandan cash.

The MPs raised the objections during a meeting with the minister of state for Planning, David Bahati. The minister appeared before the committee on October 5 to defend a supplementary budget worth Shs 3.4 trillion. About Shs 200bn in the supplementary budget is earmarked as Uganda’s contribution to the construction of 223km of roads in the DRC following a bilateral agreement between Uganda and the DRC to implement strategic infrastructure projects.

This amount is Uganda’s 20% contribution to the roads project. The total project will cost is $334.5m; therefore, Uganda’s contribution amounts to $66.9m, which is approximately Shs 254bn. Bahati had appeared along with the minister of Works and Transport Gen Katumba Wamala.

The Dokolo district Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal was angry that government had decided to prioritize roads in the DRC over roads within Uganda that need urgent attention. She told Gen Wamala that despite the economic value of the roads in the DRC, all the outstanding urgent roads in Uganda need to be fixed before embarking on the regional infrastructural project.

Her view was supported by the West Budama North MP Richard Othieno who said the Works minister had abandoned his commitment to local roads and was instead seeking funds for roads in the DRC. Bahati insisted that regional interconnectivity projects also need to be prioritized since they promote trade, security and cooperation.

He said the project was a resolution of a bilateral agreement between the two presidents – Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC and Yoweri Museveni and a sign of warm relations between the countries. The committee chairperson Amos Lugoloobi accused Bahati of suppressing funds that had been approved for local roads in order to fund the project.

Lugoloobi said that Uganda’s district roads are not being funded and all the equipment is lying idle. Bahati refuted this allegation by proving that the Uganda National Roads Authority had received 25% of its funding amounting to Shs 600bn in the first quarter of the financial year and in the second quarter, the local interconnectivity roads are going to be funded with Shs 30bn.

Gen Katumba Wamala said he hoped the committee would consider the project as a game changer in terms of trade and security. He said he was handing over to the committee for consideration the draft inter-governmental agreement and the draft project development agreement which are yet to be signed pending approval of funds by parliament.

 

Uganda to help build roads inside Congo, citing trade goals

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/uganda-to-help-build-roads-inside-congo-citing-trade-goals/2020/09/29/ef9f8fe8-0268-11eb-b92e-029676f9ebec_story.html

By Rodney Muhumuza | AP

 

September 29, 2020 at 6:32 p.m. GMT+3

 

 

KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s government said Tuesday it would help finance projects to surface over 200 kilometers (124 miles) of road inside neighboring Congo as part of plans to boost trade between the countries.

Uganda will contribute about 20% of the project value while the rest will be met by Congo’s government in an envisaged public-private partnership, Ugandan Works and Transport Minister Gen. Katumba Wamala told The Associated Press.

Such an arrangement is unheard of in a region where governments struggle to expand road networks within their borders. Despite its vast size and wealth of natural resources, Congo remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Eastern Congo is particularly plagued by rebel violence.

“There is always a first time for everything,” Wamala said. “This is a joint project between the two countries and there is a very good reason for that.”

The office of the Ugandan government spokesman in a statement said a meeting of Cabinet had authorized the surfacing or upgrading of the road from the border to Congo’s town of Beni as well as the road from the border post of Bunagana to the city of Goma.

The projects will boost investment and improve security in eastern Congo, the statement said.

Uganda’s decision to cooperate with Congo comes amid a standoff with neighboring Rwanda, once a major export destination for grains and other produce.

Rwanda’s government closed a busy border crossing with Uganda in February 2019 in what Uganda describes as a trade embargo. Rwanda’s government ordered its citizens not to travel to Uganda, asserting that Rwandan citizens were not safe across the border.

Rwandan authorities also accused Uganda’s government of backing rebels opposed to President Paul Kagame. Ugandan officials in turn accused Rwandan state agents of operating unlawfully in Uganda, including in alleged abductions of citizens wanted back home.

 

 

Museveni renames self Tibuhaburwa 

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/museveni-renames-self-tibuhaburwa--2463206 

Monday October 12 2020

 By Anthony Wesaka

President Museveni has sworn a declaration to rectify his names and have them written in proper order in accordance with the law on registration of names.

The new law,  Registration of Persons Regulations has placed many politicians and public leaders to rectify distortions in their name order as they risk losing nomination for 2021 elections.

Museveni joins hundreds of other Ugandans who are seeking to rearrange their names to align them with the law. 

On October 6, Museveni swore a deed poll that this newspaper has seen, where he explains that he was compelled to put his names in proper order because it has been written interchangeably on several occasions over the years.
A deed poll is a legal document used to prove change of a person’s name.

In the deed poll, Mr Museveni says he was born in September 1944 and named Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta.  However, his academic certificates bear the name Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni.

“Since the completion of my education, the names Yoweri Museveni, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni have been used interchangeably in reference to me,” Mr Museveni states in the sworn document.

The flag bearer of the ruling National Resistance Movement for 2021 elections, says from October 6 onwards, the proper legal order of his name is Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni.

“I formally and absolutely renounce and abandon the use of names Yoweri Museveni, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and assume and adopt in place of those names my full name Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni,” he states in his deed poll.

He continues: “For purposes of evidencing the assumption of the proper order of my full name, I hereby declare that I shall at all times from now in all records, deeds and instruments in writing and on all occasions that require the use of my full name, sign the name of Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni instead of the renounced names.”

Commissioning the deed poll
The said deed poll was sworn in through K&K law firm. Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, one of the managing partners at the law firm, yesterday confirmed he commissioned the deed poll.

President Museveni now joins a long list of more than 160 politicians such as Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, Gen Henry Tumukunde and Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation who have since sworn in their deed polls to rearrange their names in accordance with the Registration of Persons Regulations to avoid being rejected for nominations in the 2021 elections.

Mr Kyagulanyi who has been interchangeably using names of Kyagulanyi Ssentamu R, Kyagulanyi Robert Sentamu, Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi and Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Roberts, now wants the correct order of his name to be Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert.

Mr Muntu, who has been interchangeably writing his name as Mugisha Greggson and Mugisha Gregory Muntu Oyera, now wants to be known as Mugisha Muntu Gregg to match particulars on his academic certificates.

Former Security minister Gen Tumukunde on the other hand wants to add another name Kakurugu to his name to read Henry Tumukunde Kakurugu. He had previously been interchangeably using the name Tumukunde Henry BK, and Henry Brian Kakurugu.

The panic among politicians in having their names realign with their academic papers follows a recent announcement by the Electoral Commission that aspirants with different names other than those on their academic documents will not be nominated for the elections.

The EC announcement follows a 2017 court ruling in which Taban Amin’s victory as Kibanda North MP was annulled on account that he interchanged his names, which included Taban Amin Tampo Jegejege, Taban Amin Tampo as indicated in the national voters’ register and ID to Taban Idi Amin on the nomination form and academic certificates and Idi Taban Amin indicated in his passport.

Muwada: Museveni’s change of name doesn’t affect my request for his academic documents

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/10/09/muwada-musevenis-change-of-name-doesnt-affect-my-request-for-his-academic-documents/ 

 byJonah Kirabo

October 9, 2020

National Unity Platform (NUP) member and city lawyer Muwada Nkunyingi has tasked the Electoral Commission to send him results of ‘Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’ and not those of ‘Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni’.

Previously known as Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president announced in a deed poll that has been accessed by this website that he has dropped the use of any other name and will now be known as Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni.

The deed poll reads: “I was born in September, 1944 and names Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni. My academic documents bear my name, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni and since completion of my education the names Yoweri Museveni, Yoweri Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni have been used interchangeably in reference to me,”

It adds: “I hereby declare that I shall at all times from now in all records, deeds and instruments in writing, and all occasions that require the use of my full name, sign the name of Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni instead of the renounced name.”

On Friday morning, Muwada told journalists at his home in Kampala the EC has declined to avail him with the President’s academic documents in August this year.

Muwada said that the name ‘Tibuhaburwa’ has never been heard of and neither has it ever appeared anywhere on the ballot paper and therefore he doesn’t expect academic documents with that name because his request came before the deed poll.

He said: “I have checked all results of the previous elections since the EC was established, no candidate has ever been announced with the name ‘Tibuhaburwa’ yet the president maintains that he was using it interchangeably.”

According to Muwada, the law in Uganda says that no one can change a name without a deed poll and if President Museveni presented academic documents in 2016 general elections, they should have included the name ‘Tibuhaburwa’ and the EC, in its declaring hım as president, should have announced him by that name.

“This change of name does not change our stand because our request came in earlier and we are determined to pursue this until the end,” Muwada said.

Muwada asked the EC chairman Justice Simon Byabakama to release Museveni’s academic documents like the the commission did when another lawyer asked for documents of candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

CNN journalist Richard Quest marries longtime male partner

https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/chillax/cnn-journalist-richard-quest-marries-longtime-male-partner 

ByChad KitunduOctober 14th, 2020

CNN International’s top business journalist and anchor Richard Quest has finally tied the knot with his longtime male partner Chris Pepesterny.

The renowned news anchor took to social media to express his joy at having said “I Do” to Chris, sharing a beautiful picture with his lover in which they are all smiles.

Quest captioned the post: “We said ‘I Do’ at the weekend. Happiest day of our lives.”

In March, the two lovers were forced to postpone their wedding but promised to tie the knot before the end of the year.

“Today Chris and I were supposed to get married in London. Of course we had to postpone. Sad but necessary.  We will marry later in the year, with a bigger party. I wanted to acknowledge how we are all facing such difficult times, in so many different ways. This too shall pass,” he said then.

Today Chris and I were supposed to get married in London. Of course we had to postpone. Sad but necessary. We will marry later in the year, with a bigger party. I wanted to acknowledge how we are all facing such difficult times, in so many different ways. This too shall pass… pic.twitter.com/wRc9WQYvU7

— Richard Quest (@richardquest) March 20, 2020

The two got engaged in May 2019, after his lover agreed to the journalist’s marriage proposal.

The New-York based Quest took to his Instagram page on Monday to break the news.

The post was accompanied by a photo of the journalist and with his lover smiling at the camera.

Quest has never been shy to proclaim or speak about same-sex orientations, including during his short visit to the country in 2018.

“I am obviously going to be advancing an agenda that says there should be at least the decriminalization of same sexual activity. It is straight forward. I am not gonna mess around with that one. That is obviously my belief,” he told Capital FM in an interview in Nairobi in 2018.

Oops! The Priest Fumbled the Baby’s “Baptism”: Now What?

 https://www.biblebasedministries.co.uk/2020/09/19/oops-the-priest-fumbled-the-babys-baptism-now-what/ 

Oops the Priest Fumbled the Babys Baptism, PDF format

Rome Says: “Baptism Necessary for Salvation”

  The Roman Catholic institution teaches that what it calls “baptism” is the first of its seven sacraments, and that by it a person is regenerated (born again) and thus becomes a Christian.  Here are the words: “Baptism… is necessary for salvation…. By it people are freed from sins, are born again as children of God and, made like to Christ by an indelible character, are incorporated into the Church.  It is validly conferred only by a washing in real water with the proper form of words.”[1]  This is utterly false, unbiblical doctrine.

But What If the “Baptism” is Invalid?

  What happens to a Roman Catholic if his “baptism” was performed incorrectly, and he didn’t know?

  This suddenly surfaced as a huge issue in August 2020, because some priests had apparently been using a modified (and false) baptismal formula.  It meant that for perhaps thousands, or tens of thousands, of people who thought they had been regenerated and made “Christians” by their Popish “baptism”, they were now in the (for them) terrifying position of not being validly “baptized”, and therefore not being  “Christians”!

  The correct “baptismal formula” (according to Rome) is when the priest says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.  And indeed this would be correct, if Romish “baptism” was correct – but it isn’t.  Anyway, it came to the notice of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith – which used to be called the Inquisition – that certain priests might have been using a somewhat modified formula – something which sought to express the “communitarian significance” and participation of the family and others present at a child’s “baptism”.  In these warm and fuzzy times, where no one wants to be left out and everyone is being told their participation is important, and when even Roman Catholics often balk at the idea of such spiritual power in the hands of one man and not in their own hands as well, it appears that some trendy priests have been altering the formula and have been saying, as they “baptized” the child, “We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  We instead of I. 

  This doubtless made the family and friends present all feel nice and warm and fuzzy inside, but alas for the little baby, this inclusiveness invalidated its “baptism”, because according to Rome, it is the person of Christ himself who is acting through the priest, not through the mixed bag of assorted family and friends hovering around the baptismal font.  And Romish “baptism” is only valid if the correct formula is pronounced.

  So then: what about the spiritual state of the poor baby who was “baptized” with the incorrect words, “We baptize you…”?  Well, Rome declares that anyone for whom the sacrament was celebrated with this formula must be baptized in forma absoluta, meaning that baby (or adult for that matter) must be considered as not having been validly “baptized”!  The Inquisition stated that modifying “the form of the celebration of a sacrament does not constitute simply a liturgical abuse, like the transgression of a positive norm, but a vulnus [wound] inflicted upon the ecclesial communion and the identifiability of Christ’s action, and in the most grave cases rendering invalid the sacrament itself.”  “Therefore, in the specific case of the sacrament of baptism, not only does the minister not have the authority to modify the sacramental formula to his own liking, but neither can he even declare that he is acting on behalf of the parents, godparents, relatives or friends, nor in the name of the assembly gathered for the celebration…. When the minister says, ‘I baptize you’, he does not speak as a functionary who carries out a role entrusted to him, but he enacts ministerially the sign-presence of Christ.”[2] 

  But think what this means for that person who believes that without valid Popish “baptism” he is not born again, he is not a Christian, and therefore will in fact be eternally damned if he does not take immediate steps to rectify the problem.  And such steps mean he must immediately seek to be validly “baptized”.  After all, if he dies unbaptized…!

  Thus the eternal salvation of a soul, according to Rome, is held in the hands of the one (usually a priest) doing the “baptizing”!  If he was tired at the time and fumbled the wording; if he was perhaps drunk and fumbled the wording; if he just had a lapse of memory and fumbled the wording – the one he supposedly “baptized” but actually didn’t, will (according to the teaching of his false “church”) close his eyes in death, perhaps many decades later after living the life of a sincere Roman Catholic, and find himself in hell.  Not because of his own sins, but because his trusted priest got the wording of the formula wrong, and said “We” instead of “I”.

  And over a billion people on this planet call this monstrous system the true Christian Church!

From Roman Catholic Priest to… Not Even a Real Roman Catholic!

  Here is what happened to one Roman Catholic priest who found out that he had not been “validly baptized” as a baby.  Think about it: this man believed he was validly baptized, grew up as a Roman Catholic, partook of such sacraments of Rome as the mass and confession, and then was even ordained as a Roman Catholic priest!  

  This priest, Matthew Hood, of the Romish archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan, believed all his life that he had been “born again” when he was “baptized” as a baby.  But, prompted by the Inquisition’s notice, he reviewed the video of his “baptism”, and learned that the deacon had said, “We baptize you…”  It came as a huge shock to him.  “In one fell swoop, Hood went from being a Catholic priest to being… well, not technically a Catholic at all.”[3]

  He acted swiftly to remedy the situation.  “In short order, he was baptized, confirmed, and received the Eucharist.  After making a retreat, he was ordained a deacon, and then ordained a priest Aug. 17.”

  Hood, devoted Roman Catholic that he is, doubtless is extremely relieved he didn’t die before his “valid” baptism was performed!  But the thing is, the ramifications did not end with him.  Not by a long shot.  The “baptisms” he had performed remained valid in the eyes of Rome, because the Romish “sacrament of baptism” can be validly performed by anyone using the correct wording and having the correct intention.  One does not have to be a priest.  However, as he was not truly a priest in the eyes of Rome because he himself had not been validly “baptized”, and in fact he was not truly even a valid Roman Catholic, this meant that all the confirmations he performed as a priest, all the confessions he heard in the confessional box, and all the dying people to whom he had administered the last sacrament, were not valid either!

  It caused a panic, to say the least.  The archdiocese of Detroit encouraged all those who had received the Romish sacraments from either priest Hood or from the deacon who had “baptized” him as a baby all those years before, to contact the archdiocese.  The ripple effects were immense.

  And it wasn’t long before another man, who had all along believed himself to be a validly baptized Roman Catholic and who had been ordained as a priest of Rome, learned that his “baptism” was invalid and had to “re-receive” all of his sacraments as well!  This was Zachary Boazman, a priest of the archdiocese of Oklahoma City.[4]

  Now multiply these (so far) two instances by probably tens of thousands of others.  And then think back: in all the long centuries in which the Roman Catholic institution has been “baptizing” babies, how many millions must have been invalid according to Rome, for one reason or the other?  Which means that all those poor, deceived millions, who trusted their “church” and their priest to do right by them for the sake of their eternal souls (as they believed), were never (according to Rome) “born again”, never truly Roman Catholic, and were therefore eternally lost!

“Don’t Worry – the Majority Will be Fine!”

  So what should the poor, frightened Roman Catholic do if he either suspects, or knows certainly, that his “baptism” was not valid according to Rome?  “The Vatican has issued no guidance to the faithful on how to determine whether their baptism is valid, whether those in doubt should abstain from partaking in the sacraments reserved for the baptised, or how to seek remedy.”[5]  Oh, that’s comforting!  The person who thought he was a Roman Catholic for years, and now finds out he is not because his own “church” fumbled his “baptism”, receives no guidance from that selfsame “church”!  Yet for a faithful Roman Catholic (at least, for the one who thought he was before his “baptism” was found to be invalid) it’s his eternal salvation that’s at stake! 

  Here was the answer provided by Thomas Petri, a Roman Catholic priest and theologian at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.  He said it was not unreasonable for anyone who had a video of their “baptism” to review the tape – just in case.  “If I had a video, I would be reviewing my own baptism, just to be sure,” Petri said.[6]  All fine and well for those with a video – but millions upon millions worldwide would have no such convenient record to hand.  And what about the multiplied millions in all the centuries before modern technology enabled some, at least, to record such events?  Here comes Petri’s best effort at providing comfort to fearful Roman Catholics:

 “Having a home video is one thing, but trying to investigate through witnesses [i.e. those who had been present at the “baptism”] is a whole other thing that will just take over your life… in the vast majority of cases, the vast majority are going to be fine, and valid.  I suspect we’re talking about a very small percentage [that are invalid].”

  Oh, that’s really re-assuring, if you’re a Roman Catholic!  “The vast majority are going to be fine”?  The vast majority is not everyone!  The vast majority still leaves multiplied millions in the “minority” group!  “A very small percentage” is still unknown millions, given the numerical size of the Roman Cathodic religion!  And as for saying, “I suspect we’re talking about a very small percentage”, that’s hardly comforting if you as a Roman Catholic might be a part of that “small percentage” but you don’t even know if you are or not!  

  In fact, priest Matthew Hood (or rather, priest-then-not-priest-then-priest Matthew Hood) said pretty much the same thing: “I don’t think people need to all of the sudden doubt the validity of their own baptism.  By and large, baptisms are celebrated correctly in the Church.”  By and large?  

  Then he added: “If someone knows for certain that the wrong words were used, then they can act.  But if you don’t know, or there’s no evidence, you don’t need to be worried about it.”  Really?  A Roman Catholic doesn’t need to be worried?  According to the teaching of his “church”, his eternal salvation is at stake – but he doesn’t need to be worried?  Without valid Popish “baptism” Rome says he is not born again, he is not a child of God, and therefore he must be lost – and he shouldn’t be worried?  How can a Roman Catholic just shrug it off? 

  Let’s imagine this scenario for a moment: someone who was present at his “baptism” (perhaps his “godparent”) comes up to him and says, “You know, after reading what the Vatican said about invalid baptisms, I recall that at your baptism the priest used the words which the Vatican says are invalid.  At least I think he did.  I’m not positive of course, I’m not 100% sure, but I’m pretty sure.”  A seed of doubt has now been planted in that man’s mind, and it’s going to grow and grow.  If he has any concern for his soul at all, it’s going to eat away at him for the rest of his life!  He would think to himself, “My church says that without valid baptism I am not born again, I am not freed from my sins, I am not made like to Christ, I am not incorporated into the one true church.  But this priest, Matthew Hood, says I mustn’t worry about it.  He was worried about it for himself!  He was devastated by the news that his baptism was invalid.  And he went through the entire rigmarole of becoming a Roman Catholic, and then a priest, all over again.  At least he had a video he could go and check.  I don’t have a video of my baptism, but my sponsor at my baptism – or what I’ve always thought was my baptism – now tells me he’s not absolutely sure I was validly baptized.  What happens then when I die and God says to me, ‘You were not validly baptized; you were never truly a Roman Catholic.  You are lost!’” Can anyone even imagine how that doubt is going to trouble him for the rest of his life?

Romish “Baptism” Essential to Salvation – Until It’s Not

  But although Rome provides no guidance on how to determine whether one’s “baptism” was valid or not, it does seek to allay the fears of those who suspect all was not well with their “baptisms” – and fails miserably to be of any comfort at all.  Priest Petri reminded Roman Catholics of what the “Church” of Rome teaches: “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.”[7]  Petri’s comment on this was, “So I think we have to believe that God can still give graces, and we know that he does give graces apart from the sacraments.  So I think only in cases where there’s proof that it is invalid should we worry.”[8]  Not very reassuring at all, when this priest-theologian uses the words, “I think”, twice.  The eternal salvation of a Roman Catholic is thus supposedly based on what this man (and others like him) think. 

  Clarifying further, he said that discovering one’s “baptism” was invalid would not mean one was unable to receive graces from God, but that any graces received would have been given by God in an “extraordinary” way, not via the “ordinary” channel of “baptism”.  Oh, it just gets better and better, doesn’t it?  So which “extraordinary” ways could these graces come to one?  Well, Petri mentioned the “baptism of desire” for those about to die; i.e. they desire the sacrament even though they cannot receive it, and their desire is accepted by God.  But this hardly answers the case of the poor Roman Catholic who was invalidly “baptized” as a baby, and doesn’t even know it!  And Petri had no other comfort to offer.  That was it – the “baptism of desire”.  It doesn’t even fit the case of a person “invalidly baptized”.

  Opening his mouth just to change feet, Petri added that the case of priest Matthew Hood was a good example of how God’s grace can operate outside the sacraments: “Somehow, by the grace of God he discerned a vocation to the priesthood, even though he wasn’t baptized,” he said.  But wait a minute: if he was not validly “baptized” he was not even born again, not even a child of God (according to Rome)!  How then could someone still dead in his sins “discern” a vocation to the priesthood? 

  Then came the explanation of yet another priest-theologian, Mark Morozowich, dean of the school of theology and religious studies at The Catholic University of America.  He said the words of the sacrament of “baptism” do matter; however, “we always have to remember that God does not desire the death of a person, but desires that they live.  And if a person has lived their entire life believing in God, and believing that they were baptized, God will bring them unto Himself.  Even though this person may have been denied the specific graces of baptism, it did not mean that he did not lead a life that was blessed by God.”[9]  The problem, however, for the faithful Romanist is this: there is a huge difference between having the desire to be “baptized” but not having the opportunity, and believing one’s “baptism” was valid.  Just believing it does not make it so.  A man can believe he is a “Christian” because he shakes the hand of the priest (or even of the pastor) at the door after the service, but believing it doesn’t make it so.  For a faithful Papist, who has been told all his life that “baptism” is absolutely essential to his salvation, this kind of nebulous teaching would hardly fill him with confidence, now would it?

  What a tangled web of lies and deceit Rome weaves, as it stumbles from one shocking, diabolical doctrine to another.  On the one hand, it claims “baptism” is essential to salvation; on the other, one can be saved without it.  On the one hand, an invalidly “baptized” person isn’t even a Roman Catholic; on the other, he can still “discern” a vocation to the priesthood.  On the one hand, Roman Catholics are desperately scrambling to check if they can be certain they were validly “baptized”, because all their lives they’ve been taught that this sacrament is necessary to salvation; on the other, priests are telling them not to panic, “the vast majority will be fine”.  Cold comfort to someone who believes their eternal destiny is at stake here!

The Already Muddy Waters of Romish “Baptism” Become as Thick as Sludge…

As if all this was not bad enough, it gets a whole lot worse…

  As explained above, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith – the Inquisition – concluded that the use of the formula, “We baptize”, instead of, “I baptize”, invalidates any Romish “baptism”.  However, another Vatican congregation had previously taught the very opposite!

  An under-secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments had published a letter in the 2003 issue of “Roman Replies and CLSA Advisory Opinions” which addressed this very matter of the formula, “We baptize you”.  This was the conclusion:

 “Employing the first person plural, rather than the singular… does not cast into doubt the validity of the Baptism conferred.  That is, if the three divine Persons are named specifically as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the use of the first person plural does not invalidate the conferral of the Sacrament.”[10]

  So which Vatican congregation is right and which is wrong?  The Congregation for Divine Worship stated that using the formula, “We baptize you”, does not invalidate the sacrament of “baptism”; but the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that it does!  Which one are Roman Catholics to heed?

  What utter confusion!  A Roman Catholic may have been concerned about the validity of his “baptism” years ago, only to be comforted by the assurance of the Congregation for Divine Worship that he had nothing to be concerned about.  Years go by, and then once again he is told that his “baptism” is invalid, this time by the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith! 

  These poor deceived people are trusting in fallible men to lead them to heaven!  Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13,14).  It is a very broad way indeed when the false “Church” of Rome says two absolutely contradictory things on a matter as vitally important as this one, as far as Roman Catholics are concerned!  So broad, in fact, that if one strays to the left one will be told his “baptism” is valid even if the baptizer got the words wrong, but if he strays to the right he will be told his “baptism” is invalid!

The Biblical Truth about Baptism and Salvation
 Dear Roman Catholic friend, you have been lied to.  Turn from this stinking garbage pile of man-made teaching, and trust in the living God alone, whose absolute truth is laid out in His own Word, the Bible, divinely inspired and without error!  Baptism does not make anyone a child of God.  It does not bring about the new birth.  Your eternal destiny does not depend on the application of some water to your head and the “right” words which some man mumbled over you at the time!  When Simon the sorcerer was baptized by Philip, the mode of baptism was absolutely correct (as shown by Acts 8:30-39), and the words he pronounced were correct as well (Matt. 28:19); yet Simon was not regenerated!  He had “believed”, but only intellectually (Acts 8:13); he was still in a perishing state, his heart was not right in God’s sight, he had not yet truly repented of his sins, but was still in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity (vv.20-23).

  Baptism should follow regeneration and conversion, but is not the cause of these spiritual blessings.  One who is a true Christian should submit to baptism out of love for and obedience to the Lord, but it does not save anyone.

  What then did Jesus mean when He said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:5)?  He did not mean physical water.  Over and over in the Bible water is used as a symbol of spiritual realities.  Water symbolises being made clean (Jn. 15:3).  What then does the water symbolise in Jn. 3:5?  It can refer to the Word of God, which is the means, the instrument which the Holy Spirit uses in regeneration, as it is written in Jas. 1:18: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth”; and in 1 Pet. 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”  And it can refer to the grace of God, figuratively, as in Ezek. 36:25: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.”  Mere physical water cannot cleanse a person from the filthiness of inward sin; only the grace of God can do that. 

  Take heed to the words of Paul the apostle: “I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius” (1 Cor. 1:14); “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (v.17); “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (v.18).  And again these words of his: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16).  Just think about these verses.  If baptism was essential to salvation; if by baptism a person is born again, made a child of God, and incorporated into the Church; then why would Paul have written that he actually thanked God he had baptized so few?  He should instead have mourned that he had not baptized more!  But he could write thus, because he knew that Christ had not sent him to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.  And the reason?  It is the Gospel– the preaching of the glad tidings of salvation by the crucified, risen Saviour – which is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes!  Faith in Christ is that whereby one is saved from his sins.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).

  No man can save you from your sins.  You can’t save yourself.  A priest can’t do it for you.  Some drops of water on your head won’t do it.  The right verbal formula, like some magic incantation, doesn’t do it either.  If you would be saved from your sins, go to Christ.  He alone is the Saviour, He alone can save.  This is why He came into the world: “to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).  His name is JESUS (meaning Saviour); “for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).  Repent of your sins, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, trusting in none but Him to save you.  He has said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (Jn. 6:37).

September 2020

Shaun Willcock is a minister, author and researcher.  He runs Bible Based Ministries.  For other articles (which may be downloaded and printed), as well as details about his books, audio messages, pamphlets, etc., please visit the Bible Based Ministries website; or write to the address below.  If you would like to be on Bible Based Ministries’ email list, to receive all future articles, please send your details

ENDNOTES:

[1]. The Code of Canon Law, Canon 849.  The Canon Law Society Trust, 1983.  Collins Liturgical Publications, London.

[2]. The Southern Cross, August 12 to 18, 2020.  “Vatican: Your baptism may be invalid.”  www.scross.co.za.

[3]. Catholic News Agency, August 24, 2020.  “My baptism was valid…right?”  www.catholicnewsagency.com.

[4]. Catholic News Agency, September 16, 2020.  “Invalidly baptized Oklahoma priest baptized and ‘re-ordained.’” www.catholicnewsagency.com.

[5].  The Southern Cross, August 12 to 18, 2020. 

[6]. Catholic News Agency, August 24, 2020. 

[7]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, chapter one, “The necessity of Baptism”.  Pauline Publications – Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 1994.

[8]. Catholic News Agency, August 24, 2020. 

[9].  Catholic News Agency, August 24, 2020. 

[10].  Catholic News Agency, September 16, 2020. 

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By Mary Farrow

Pope says supports civil unions for gay couples

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/pope-says-supports-civil-unions-for-gay-couples-2588470

Wednesday October 21 2020

 By AFP News

Pope Francis defended the right of gay couples to enter into legally recognised civil unions in a documentary that premiered at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday. 

In the film, "Francesco" by Evgeny Afineevsky, the Argentine pope says that gays have "the right to be in a family."

"These are children of God, they have the right to a family," Francis says in the film, speaking in Spanish. 

"What we have to create is a law of civil union, they have the right to be legally protected. I have defended that," said Francis. 

But the former Jorge Bergoglio has always voiced opposition to gay marriage, saying that marriage should only be between a man and woman.

"Since the beginning of the pontificate the Pope has spoken of respect for homosexuals and has been against their discrimination," Vatican expert Vania de Luca told Rainews. 

"The novelty today is that he defends as pope a law for civil unions."

No judgements

After becoming pope in 2013, Francis took an unprecedented welcoming tone towards homosexuals, launching his famous phrase, "Who am I to judge?" and welcoming gay couples to the Vatican on several occasions. 

The two-hour documentary traces the seven years of his pontificate and his travels.

Among the most moving moments of the film is the Pope's phone call to a gay couple, parents of three young children, in response to a letter they sent him saying how ashamed they were to bring their children to the parish. 

Francis invites them to continue to go to church regardless of the Judgments of others. 

Chilean Juan Carlos Cruz, an activist against sexual abuse within the church, accompanied the director to the film screening on Wednesday. 

"When I met Pope Francis he told me he was very sorry about what happened. Juan, it is God who made you gay and he loves you anyway. God loves you and the Pope loves you too," says Cruz in the film. 

The Russian-born Afineevsky, who attended the Pope's general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday, was nominated for an Oscar and an Emmy in 2016 for "Winter of Fire" about the 2013-2014 protests in Ukraine.

In 2018 he received three Emmy nominations for "Cries from Syria" about that country's civil war.

Singer Julie weds woman after ex-husband Mutesasira marries new chic

http://edge.ug/2020/10/21/singer-julie-weds-woman-after-ex-husband-mutesasira-marries-new-chic/ 

October 21, 2020

Over the weekend, Pastor Steven Mutesasira married his 3rd wife.

“An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.–Proverbs 12:4”, he noted.

He said marriage is a life-long covenant between a man and a woman to live as one flesh, for their mutual benefit, and for the bearing of children.

“The relation of husband-wife is the most beautiful relationship of the world. It’s the relation by which two different people turn into one entity for the lifetime…..” he said on social media.

The Lady was also only identified as Judith.

“God said, its not good for a man to be alone. We thank God who has allowed this to happen. Anointed family welcomes you mummy Judith Mutesasira,” he said in a welcome message.

Mutesasira’s other wives include Jenifer and gospel singer Julie Mutesasira.

“A man shall therefore leave his wife & marry another wife” [Genesis 2:24],” he quoted the scripture.

Julie weds woman

According to photos circulating online, Julie Mutesasira also chose to wed a fellow woman after ex-husband getting married to his new lover.

Pastor Steven and Julie were married for quite a long time and they had three children together (Esther and Ezakiel).

However, their marriage failed to workout before officially getting divorced in 2016.

Julie then decided to relocate to Canada, leaving her three children behind with their father.

When Julie landed in Canada, word started making rounds that she decided to become a lesbian.

Its alleged that following her divorce, Julie rushed to the United States before she connected to Canada to unite with her new female lover.

And the pair tied the knot a few months ago and now living as husband and wife.

Photos of her kissing a fellow woman during their wedding went viral on social media.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is urging youth involved in protests against police brutality to end the demonstrations and begin a dialogue with the government.

In Buhari’s address to the nation Thursday, his first public comments on the unrest gripping Nigeria, he urged protesters to not be used by subversive elements seeking to create chaos with the aim of truncating the country’s democracy. However, Buhari did not mention the shooting by security forces of peaceful protesters at Lekki toll plaza earlier this week. At least 12 protesters were shot dead by Nigerian Security Forces.

In a series of tweets late Wednesday, Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed his condolences and promised justice for those shot dead at the Lekki toll plaza.

The United States on Thursday condemned police brutality in Lagos.

“We welcome an immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces. Those involved should be held to account in accordance with Nigerian law,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Amnesty International on Wednesday reported that a total of 38 people died in protest-related violence on Tuesday. Amnesty International also said at least 56 people have been killed over the past two weeks in protests directed at the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS, which the international rights group accused of torture and murders.

The government disbanded SARS last week, but that has not tempered the outrage.

Nigeria’s military has denied responsibility for the shootings near the Lekki toll gates.

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 The day Uganda Occultist Pastor Yiga Augustine was sent prison for saying there is no COVID-19 in Africa

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-day-uganda-occultist-pastor-yiga.html

Occultist Yiga Augustine released on bail over ill health

 When fake pastors abuse the poor amidst the silence of the Uganda Government : Luciferian Pastor Augustine Yiga impregnates a number of women

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Pastor Yiga Sued for sexually using a young girl and later dumping her.

Pastor Augustine Yiga is very alive and safe – ABS TV

 https://mbu.ug/2020/10/23/pastor-augustine-yiga-is-very-alive-and-safe-abs-tv/  

Josh Ruby

On Friday morning, several rumors circulated revealing how Kawaala-based Revival Church Pastor Augustine Yiga a.k.a Abizaayo breathed his last. ABS TV rubbishes the reports.

In recent weeks, we have been reporting about how the jolly and comic pastor was bedridden at Nsambya Hospital with what was referred to as “Liver complications”.

Several of his followers started praying for their beloved pastor when the news broke out that his health was rapidly deteriorating.

On Friday, however, Nile Post broke the news about how the church pastor had breathed his last. Several other blogs and media sites released similar reports.

A few minutes later, through the ABS TV Facebook page, it was confirmed that Pastor Yiga is still alive and kicking.

“Pastor Yiga is not dead! Pastor Yiga Augustine Abizayo is alive, he is not yet dead. We take this opportunity to warn whoever is spreading the news, do it at your risk. God is good,” said an official from ABS TV.

Pastor Yiga became the talk of town earlier this year when he rubbished the existence of COVID-19 and he was imprisoned for his act which were judged as “likely to spread and infectious disease.”

He was released on May 5th after spending one month at Kitalya prison on grounds of ill health and having substantial sureties.

Pastor Yiga is widely known for his hilarious way of preaching and presenting on his ABS Television.

Related Story:Pastor Yiga reportedly seriously ill, admitted at Nsambya Hospital

Pastor Augustine Yiga of the Revival Church in Kawaala, commonly known as “Abizaayo” is dead.

Yiga passed on this morning at Nsambya hospital were he had been hospitalised early this month with liver complications.

The controversial pastor was early this year briefly detained for questioning the existence of Covid-19.

Yiga was the proprietor of ABS TV.

First Read:

Scandal of the year 2020: Pastor Mutesasira marries new Wife after his ex-wife Singer Julie wedded woman

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/10/scandal-of-year-2020-singer-julie-weds.html

Julie used to hit on fellow female pastors before leaving – Mondo Mugisha

https://mbu.ug/2020/10/22/julie-used-to-hit-on-fellow-female-pastors-before-leaving-mondo-mugisha/ 

Solomon Mwesigwa

 Wednesday morning saw social media go wild when Pastor Steven Mutesasira’s ex-lover Julie Mutesasira Nalujja’s photos while kissing a fellow female identified as Linet during their wedding surfaced.

The photos which were exposed by popular city pastor Franklin Mondo Mugisha elicited mixed reactions from a number of her followers causing an uproar.

When pastor Mondo was asked why he released Julie Mutesasira’s photos, he responded saying he did so because he was under a lot of pressure from fellow pastors who were pinning him for strongly backing pastor Steven Mutesasira to marry another wife. 

Due to the above-mentioned reason, pastor Mondo chose to silence them by revealing photos of how Julie Mutesasira dumped pastor Steven for a fellow woman three years ago.

He went ahead to explain that even before Julie left Uganda for Canada, him and other few pastors tried to intervene into their marriage so that they could settle the misunderstandings but in vain.

 Julie Mutesarira teen Photos

Pastor Mondo furthermore disclosed that Julie ditched Pastor Steven and told him how she had moved on. On top that, the most heart breaking issue was when she told pastor Steven that her sexual preferences had also changed and hence the reason why in the wedding photos Julie was acting as the groom.

He also noted that Julie Mutesasira used to sweet-talk fellow female pastors before she fled abroad. Pastor Mondo also revealed how the wedding took place in 2017.

I have more than one photo of Julie Mutesasira’s wedding with a fellow woman. I released those photos after I met over 16 pastors who were on my neck and grilling me for having backed Pastor Steven Mutesasira for marrying a second wife.

So when I exposed to them Julie’s photos marrying a fellow woman, all the pastors who had come here at my office all went mute and walked out of the meeting we were in.

At first, I had decided not to display those photos on social media because of family issues and for matters of privacy but due to a lot of pressure, It went out of my hand and I had calm down the fire that was being sent towards me.

In fact, I got the photos from the owners themselves, so they I got snaps, I talked to Pastor Steven about the issue. Before she even left, I used to get complaints from different fellow young girls at Church reporting to me how Julie was always hitting and sweet-talking them.

There is a pastor known as Kieth can also testify on that because there were some matters that we intervened and sorted out.

Pastor Mondo

Divorce is a sensitive issue. It usually involves not only the married couple concerned but their children and extended family members and sometimes, the community as well. Acceptance of divorce depends on societal norms in that community and nation.

In modern days, especially for Christian couples, just because they have made wedding vows before family and friends they would live till death before they part, it becomes even trickier when face with the issue of divorce when it arises. Are there biblically justifiable grounds for divorce?

Searching for justifiable grounds for divorce is nothing new. It has been going on since time immemorial. In fact, divorce is sanctioned in the Bible, especially under the Old Testament. Divorce has been enacted into law by none other than Moses who wrote the first five books of the Holy Bible.

The Pharisees were custodians of the law and they sat in Moses’ seat.

Matthew 23:2: Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

They were also regarded as masters and rulers in Israel and of course well versed with the law of Moses.

John 3:1: There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

John 3:10: Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

The Pharisees certainly knew the law concerning divorce. However, the law on divorce seems to be questionable and subject to abuse. So this was a good opportunity to trip up the Lord Jesus Christ who was never schooled under their authority.

Matthew 19:3: The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

These Pharisees certainly knew the law on divorce very well. So the question was whether divorce for every cause was lawful. They were baiting the Lord to see how He would respond.

It was funny how they thought the Lord didn’t know the law on divorce allowed by Moses. So the Lord turned the table on them for not reading their Bible and hence not knowing God’s will on marriage and divorce.

Matthew 19:4: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Matthew 19:5: And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Matthew 19:6: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Well, they certainly didn’t like this reply. How could they overlook such simple and fundamental decree from above concerning earthly marriages? Divorce was obviously not God’s will. The Lord’s reply to their question gave them cause to continue their scheme to find occasion to accuse the Lord for challenging Moses’s decree which was a serious offence.

Matthew 19:7: They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

They thought they had cornered the Lord to back down with this question appealing to the authority of Moses. So far these religious elites could not find any fault and occasion for them to nail the Lord during His earthly ministry.

It seemed like they were finally succeeding. Disputing the law on divorce allowed by Moses would be a serious challenge to the authority of Moses and would thus get the Lord into big trouble with serious consequence.

But what actually does the law on divorce allowed by Moses entail?

Deuteronomy 24:1: When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

So here is the law regarding divorce. The ground for divorce here is not based on moral or character deficit of the wife or serious transgression of the law of Moses. It is based on what the husband regards as uncleanness and he no longer favours her.

One would think that divorce is based on serious offence such as adultery committed by the wife. But it is not the case. In fact, adultery attracts the death penalty under the law of Moses.

Leviticus 20:10: And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

As such, divorce could be based on something as frivolous as uncleanness determined by the husband and hence, the Pharisees’ question concerning divorce under every cause that could be subject to abuse. Under such arrangement, the husband has the upper hand. Whenever he doesn’t find the wife pleasing anymore he could easily find occasion and excuse allowed for as uncleanness to divorce his wife.

Moses not only allowed divorce under such seemingly unfair statute that favours the man, he also codified the divorce where this woman once divorced by this husband could no longer return to him under any circumstance when she becomes another man’s wife. After the woman has been divorced she is free to remarry but she can never return to her former husband and this is the condition whereby the husband must understand before divorcing his wife. There would be no turning back after the divorce if she remarries.

Deuteronomy 24:2: And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

Deuteronomy 24:3: And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;

Deuteronomy 24:4: Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

So this was the divorce statute given by Moses. Well, the Pharisees were not ignorant to this statute. They were using this statute hoping to trip the Lord so that they could find occasion to accuse Him for disobeying Moses.

But the Lord pulled no punches. He didn’t shy away from addressing this issue on divorce allowed for under the law of Moses. He turned around and accused the Pharisees and blamed them for this law on divorce where Moses allowed because he really had no choice due to the hardness of heart of the men of Israel.

Matthew 19:8: He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Here the Lord told them point blank they were the cause for divorce being allowed by Moses. Under the law, man could have more than one wife. Polygamy was practiced by the children of Israel and many famous biblical characters had more than one wife. They were never condemned nor rebuked by the Lord. However, polygamy is so recognized that the rights of the firstborn of the non favoured wife cannot be removed and replaced.

Deuteronomy 21:15: If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

Deuteronomy 21:16: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:

Deuteronomy 21:17: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

With polygamy allowed and recognized, some men might want to get rid of the wife he no longer finds favour. He could get himself off the hook and needs not fulfill to her his duty of marriage. This would also lighten financial burden and commitment with one less woman to care for and feed.

There is no alimony required under the law of Moses during a divorce. So the woman is obviously caught in a bad situation under such divorce arrangement.

What about her children after divorce if she has any? It would be unlikely the children are chased out of the house with her. Which man would want to marry her together with her children? It would be a sad situation for the children losing their mother in a divorce.

The only positive point about divorce as far as the woman is concerned is that she is free and she could remarry. With divorce allowed by Moses, other man could have this privilege to fulfill the duty of marriage to this divorced woman. But the woman could not return to her former husband and all her children if she has them in her previous marriage.

While it might sound good to get out of an abusive and unhappy marriage when divorce is allowed, divorce could be abused too and many times the case as questioned by those Pharisees. Divorce as allowed by Moses was a social expediency not the perfect will of God and the Lord told these Pharisees off in no uncertain terms.

The abuses under the terms and conditions of divorce have been so abused that the God of Israel rebuked the children of Israel severely in the last book of the Old Testament before the Lord turned silent on them for four hundred years.

Malachi 2:14: Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

Malachi 2:15: And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

Malachi 2:16: For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Malachi 2:17: Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Jehovah God clearly had been very angry with the children of Israel who had been dealing treacherously with the wife of their youth. They had been warned to take heed to their spirit and not deal treacherously with the wife of their youth as though the God of judgment was no longer around. Divorce allowed under Moses was the best platform to deal treacherously with the wife of their youth.

When the wife grows older and no longer attractive, finding faults such as uncleanness would be so simple and easy. Divorce could be so easily carried out and the poor woman would have to fend for herself after divorce and if she has children, she would no longer have rights to have access to her children. This is a terrible loophole for treacherous man to exploit.

Nevertheless, if divorce is not allowed, the wife who has lost favour might find herself in even more terrible plights. Being ignored and abused by the husband and perhaps even the husband’s other wives could be even more trying and painful.

Physical violence could become her constant companion too if she has to live on under the same roof with her husband. As such, getting divorce might be the lesser of the two evils and hopefully, the woman could live on happily either on her own or have a better second marriage.

Truly God hates putting away. Marriage bond is a symbol of God providing eternal salvation for His people. If divorce is the norm, this is a direct attack on God’s eternal security promised to His people.

The Pharisees raising the question on divorce hit a wall. They didn’t know they were dealing with God manifest in the flesh. This same God had been watching them tolerating their treacherous dealings with their wives for years. In addition, the Lord raised the bar for divorce where the only justifiable ground for divorce is fornication and not some frivolous uncleanness as determined by the husband.

Matthew 19:9: And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Actually, fornication as a justifiable ground leading to divorce is not new. The case of the conception of the Lord Jesus Christ is a case in point.

Matthew 1:18: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:19: Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

Mary was with child of the Holy Ghost. Joseph, Mary’s espoused husband was a just man. His espoused wife was pregnant and he could put Mary to death.

But he could not find the adulterer and putting Mary to death was unjust because death penalty are carried out on both the adulterer and the adulteress and not on the adulteress alone. So if Mary was with child due to fornication, it would be better off to put her away privately in a divorce settlement.

By tightening this law on divorce and raising its standard, even the Lord’s disciples were displeased. They remarked that if that be the case, it was not good to marry.

Matthew 19:10: His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

One could imagine the spiritual maturity of these disciples. They wanted to reserve the rights and privilege to divorce their wives under the law of Moses where they could easily abuse the system. No wonder the Lord concluded the Old Testament with that sharp rebuke concerning the men of Israel dealing treacherously with the wife of their youth.

These Pharisees practiced creative and selective obedience to the law of Moses. They could come up with justifiable grounds to get waiver from compliance to the law of Moses such as not having to honour their parents.

Mark 7:10: For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Mark 7:11: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

Mark 7:12: And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

Mark 7:13: Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Hence are these Pharisees so concerned about equity in the law on divorce allowed for under Moses? The treacherous dealings of their forefathers continued with them and their hypocrisy was simply disgusting to say the least.

They were not trying to discuss the finer points on the law of Moses with the Lord. It was not a sincere enquiry with regards to learning something useful for them to apply under the law of Moses. It was a question raised to tempt the Lord. Their silence after this rebuke was surely deafening.

Even the disciples of the Lord were displeased with the new requirement for divorce. Raising the bar with this new justifiable ground for divorce disadvantaged them.

So the Lord concludes that not all men can accept the duties and responsibility in a marital union. Only selected few, by birth, forced of circumstance or even voluntarily remaining single, are not having to deal with troubles in marriage.

Matthew 19:11: But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

Matthew 19:12: For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Most people on earth are not so gifted to remain single like the apostle Paul who for the Lord’s Kingdom sake went all out without a wife to distract him in the Lord’s work.

Staying single might avoid having to deal with all the troubles and distractions that come with married life but not getting married could get one into more serious trouble.

1 Corinthians 7:9: But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

1 Corinthians 6:18: Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Corinthians 7:2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Hence, fornication is the only justifiable ground under the New Testament for divorce. Nevertheless, forgiveness and reconciliation should be sought before entering into divorce, especially for the sake of children having to suffer the trouble and trauma of parents going separate ways in a divorce.

Hebrews 13:4: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

John 1:17: For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Let no Christian man and woman ever consider the possibility and acceptability of divorce allowed by Moses in the Church Age. Grace and truth have come and hence, let no Christian man and woman entertain the notion of possible separation in a divorce for frivolous reasons.

1 Peter 3:7: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

1 Peter 3:8: Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1 Peter 3:9: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Any Christian couple taking heed to this admonition will never find themselves heading into the dark narrow alley of despair in a divorce.

BREAKING! Pastor Yiga is dead!

KAMPALA — Pr. Augustine Yiga of Rivival Church in Kawala has passed away after a long illness.

Pastor Yiga who had been hospitalised to Nsambya Hospital in Kampala for a period of time was pronounced dead in the wee hours of Tuesday October 27.

His Kawala based ABS TV Management said:
“We cannot believe that you are no longer with us. This is a tragedy for us, we will pray for you dear. Friend, mentor great pastor, rest in peace Pastor Yiga abizaayo Augustine”.

Pastor Yiga was early this year arrested by authorities after he questioned coronavirus numbers in the country.

Prosecution said Pr. Yiga, used his Television Station to tell the public that there was no coronavirus in Africa.

He coined his argument on the fact that no single death had been declared in a number of African countries, yet in the west, nations that were battling the disease had lost lives in hundreds.

PASTOR AUGUSTINE YIGA : LUCIFERIAN OR BORN AGAIN

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/03/pastor-augustine-yiga-luciferian-or.html

 

Beginning of the end of a Luciferian Pastor : 'Pastor Yiga raped, impregnated me in prayer room'

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I LOVE ISLAM..I LOVE MOSLEMS: OCCULTIST PASTOR YIGA AUGUSTINE ATTACKS PASTORS FOR ATTACKING OTHER RELIGIONS 

 

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2019/10/i-love-islami-love-moslems-occultist.html

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http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.ug/2015/08/when-wolves-disguise-as-pastors-pastor.html 

Augustine Yiga is a school dropout and that’s why he acts the way does – Pastor Male

 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20190828/75745/augustine-yiga-is-a-school-dropout-thats-why-he-acts-that-way-pastor-male.html

  byAllen Kisakye

 

Pastor Solomon Male, the Executive Director of Arising For Christ has blamed Pastor Augustine Yiga’s ‘shameless’ misconduct to lack of school knowledge.

According to Male, people who attend school to a certain level, attain some knowledge and lifestyle that makes them feel shame before doing something absurd, which is not the case with ‘uneducated’ ones like the Revival Church Pastor, Yiga.

“One of the problems with Yiga is that he is a school dropout and very uneducated, people who have gone to school and reached a certain level sometime feel shame, and can’t do some things that Yiga does. But Yiga is a shameless conman and thief,” Male said during an interview with ntv’s Live wire on Tuesday.

Following Yiga’s pictures that trended on social media, as he was seen  styled in a ‘swaggerific’ dress code during Alex Muhangi’s Comedy Store show last Thursday, Male claimed that for a pastor, dressing in chains, stylish shoes and a cap were uncalled for.

Male claimed that everyone is free to dress in a way they want, but as a leader, it’s always good to mind the dress code especially when making public appearances.

 

“Everybody is free to dress in the way they like, but as a leader, you have to be critical about your dress code, but Yiga cannot know that because he lacks discipline, he is a conman, I would only advise him to change his church into club, and stop stealing people in the name of God,” he said.

Male also claimed that Yiga always parades fake testimony to deceive people that he is a real ‘man of God’, uses his ‘club’ to spread false gospel about God, and also parades fake miracles to steal from desperate people.

However, recently during an interview, Yiga claimed that there are some pastors who are fighting so hard to destroy his Ministry by pinning him for a false prophet.

“There is are certain Pastors, I don’t want to say their names on air but one has a church ‘Ku Satu (Mile Three) but he always tries everything possible to bring me down and tarnishing my reputation,” Yiga said.

 Luciferian Yiga's biography

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/120/525/538279/Augustine%20Yiga

AM Pastor Augustine Yiga of Revival Christian Church Kawaala. I grew up in a strong Catholic family in Bukomansimbi, Masaka. I didn’t go far in school; I stopped in P4 because I was so unruly.

After being idle at home for several years, I decided to join a group of musicians who came to perform in our village in 1995. Livingstone Kasozi was head of the then Lukwata Guitar Singers.

Since I was too young to compose my own songs, I worked as a houseboy for the group. We would travel to different parts of the country and I was responsible for cooking and washing their clothes. Though it was fun being on board, it was also very tiring and not worth the little money I was paid.
During their free time I would learn to play several musical instruments.

In 1997, Kasozi was bedridden. By then I knew how to play the guitar so I played with the rest. However, they were no longer making money because their leader was down, so I soon left to try and survive on my own in the city.
It wasn’t easy. That’s why I ended up joining witchcraft. I practiced witchcraft for two years. I bought calabashes, spears, coffee and barkcloth and set up a shrine in my room.

Anyone who came into my room was convinced I was a witchdoctor, yet I was simply gambling.

I would change my voice whenever a client came in, pretending that the gods were really with me.

Though I made a lot of money, practicing witchcraft was a very shameful thing. I used the money I made as capital when I joined a group of con men (abafere) dealing in counterfeit notes. A friend connected me to these people.

On account of our activities, I was arrested several times and remanded in Luzira Prison. I was once arrested by Kalangala Action Plan and taken to Mbuya Barracks. There, I was harassed and on leaving I decided to become a born-again Christian.

I went straight to Pastor Fred Sserugo of Revival Christian Church Kazo and confessed my sins.

Without money, life became difficult once again. But I would pray and sometimes talk to the pastor. God’s love is forever and I am now a senior pastor.
I fasted for several days requesting God to give me the powers to cast out demons and perform miracles and now I do.

The con men and witchdoctors from my past were not happy with my transformation, saying I was going to disclose their secrets. They opened a war against me, but I simply prayed to God. Some of them are now wondering about my success.

My mother got saved but my father is still a strong Catholic though he has no problem with my getting born-again. In fact he gave me a go-ahead, saying this is better than witchcraft.

As told to Aidah Nanyonjo

 

COVID-19 pandemic exposes church fraudsters- Pastor Male

  https://www.independent.co.ug/covid-19-pandemic-exposes-church-fraudsters-pastor-male/

The Independent April 2, 2020

 

 

Wakiso, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Pastor Moses Solomon Male, the head of Arising for Christ Ministries and outspoken critic of the prosperity gospel in Pentecostal churches is chest thumping; saying the Covid19 pandemic has exposed all fraudsters who have been preaching “the gospel of extortion”.

Male, who is living a simple life at his home in Kawempe, says he has for some time been trying to expose fraudulent preachers who claim to have supernatural powers to offer financial blessings, physical well-being and healing among their flock in exchange for material benefits in vain. 

He insists that most of the supposed miracles performed in churches are stage managed and goes on to challenge any pastor or prophet claiming to be with healing powers to pitch camp at Entebbe General Hospital and health the COVID19 victims and save the country from the pandemic.

Pastor Male, who has been struggling to restore the sanctity of Christ and to rid the Church of fake and selfish people, says COVID19 is the real litmus paper and eye-opener to Christian faithfuls to reflect on how some people have been stealing from them in the name of God.

The coronavirus pandemic that has spread to several countries across the world has had far reaching implications on religious practices in several countries including a total ban on congregational prayers to stop the spread of the virus.

Currently, Christian faithfuls ‘pray together but apart’ through virtual means. According to Pastor Male, this is a positive development, saying if it becomes the new normal, forever the faithfuls will overcome a number of challenges they face when they meet their pastors physically.

He says that with manipulation, many pastors have diverted people from instructions issued by Health experts and ended up facing miserable deaths. Pastor Male’s statement comes at a time pastor Augustine Yiga alias Abizaayo; the head of Revival Christian Church in Kawala is locked up for claiming on Television that there is no corona virus in Uganda and Africa in general.

Prior to Yiga’s statements Elvis Mbonye, the head of Zoe Ministries had also prophesied that COVID10 wouldn’t spread to Uganda. He also claimed to have powers to heal COVID19 and asked people in the affected areas to come and kneel before him to heal them.

Pastor Male also takes a swipe at pastors and religious leaders of various denominations who are asking their flock to send their offering sand tithe through mobile money and internet banking. According to Pastor Male, argues that it is high time ministers also do charity and gave back to Christians who currently can’t fend for themselves because of the lock down.

He cited several biblical teachings where David opened up the temple and handed over all he had collected to the children of Israel in times of need.

Pastor Male says whoever will be tempted to give out the little they have to support their families in offerings and later regrets or dies out of hunger will have committed suicide.

To a larger extent, Bishop Joshua Lwere, the General Overseer of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda-NFBPC agrees with Pastor Male, arguing that there are church ministers who have diverted from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Some of those ministers lost track. You might see someone misleading people on issues of COVID19. We alert the general population to stick to the guidelines of Health experts,” Bishop Lwere. He says the current situation was brought by the Lord to show his supremacy and called upon all believers to pray and repent more so in this Easter season.

Uganda has registered 44 confirmed COVID19 cases in the last two weeks.

Several suspected cases are under institutional and self-isolation for the mandatory 14 in various facilities and their homes. COVID19 is spread through contact with the droplets of an infected person such as saliva on surfaces, in the air or handshaking. Health experts have recommended regular hand washing with soap and water or alcohol based sanitisers to prevent infection.

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URN