SEMBABULE.
President Museveni on Sunday officially opened All Saints Church- Sembabule in West Buganda Diocese, Sembabule District.
The Shs3billion church, which has a seating capacity of 1,200 worshippers , was constructed in October 2023 through the partnership between the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Sam Kutesa and Tororo Cement Limited.
In his address, President Museveni thanked Kutesa and partners for setting up the magnificent church and also paid tribute to the forefathers who preached the gospel that transformed society.
The President commended the family of the late Hasmukh Kanji Patel of Tororo Cement for building churches across Uganda despite not being Christians, noting that their actions align with Jesus’ teaching that “we shall know them by what they do, not what they say.”
“I want to thank Hon. Sam Kutesa for bringing this idea of building a Church to the donors who quickly built it for us here. I thank him so much,” President Museveni remarked.
“These Indian people have their own religion, they are not Christians , but in their own religion, they have a lot of piety. That’s why you see that even if they are not Christians, they aim at purity of life, conduct and brotherhood.”
President Museveni also emphasized that the Church now plays an even greater role in the development of the country, as it fosters ideas that contribute to national growth.
He highlighted the growing synergy between the Church and government, both promoting wealth creation and unity. He encouraged the faithful to continue preaching the gospel of unity, feeding the hungry, healing the sick and working hard.
Reflecting on his own upbringing, President Museveni said it was the conversion of their parents and early pioneers to Christianity that led many, including himself, to pursue education.
“We really salute those pioneers. In my family as usual we have resistance fighters who didn’t change so quickly. My great great grandfather and grandparents refused to join, it was my father Amos Kaguta and mother who joined Christianity in 1947,”he said.
Representing the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, His Grace Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Rt. Rev. Samuel George Bogere Egesa, the Bishop of Bukedi Diocese thanked the President for officiating at the ceremony and for his historic decision to split Tororo District into four administrative units, thus creating sanity between the Japadhola and the Iteso in the area.
He urged the people of Sembabule to maintain love and unity, especially during the election period.
“Your Excellency, we thank you for the peace, stability and security prevailing in our country and because of that, we have freedom of worship,” he said.
Bishop Egesa also used the occasion to commend Tororo Cement for their generosity, noting that Sembabule is just one of the many places where the company has built churches for the Anglican community.
The former Mawogola County North legislator Mr Sam Kutesa thanked President Museveni for honouring the people of Sembabule by officiating at the church’s opening.
He explained that the church was built for two main reasons: to honor his parents who received salvation and spread transformative gospel and as a personal act of thanksgiving after surviving throat cancer, following a promise he made to God during his recovery.
Ms Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, the Member of Parliament for Mawogola North, expressed gratitude to Mr Kutesa and his wife for dedicating themselves to God’s work through building the Church.
She also thanked President Museveni for his visionary leadership, noting his distribution of 100,000 coffee seedlings to villages around Kisozi in Gomba District, among other poverty alleviation initiatives.
Rev. Canon Gaster Nsereko, the Bishop of West Buganda Diocese thanked President Museveni for his continued support to the Church and church-founded schools.
He also lauded Mr Kutesa for choosing to invest in community-benefiting projects like the Church and schools.
“We thank you and your dear wife so much because we know you are the author of what we are seeing today with our naked eyes.”
Rev. Canon Enock Muhanguzi, the Archdeacon of All Saints Church Sembabule, also thanked President Museveni for his support and praised Hon. Kutesa and his family for their pivotal role in the Church’s construction.
Representing the Patel family of Tororo Cement, Mr. Manish Varsani thanked Mr Kutesa for choosing a project that benefits society at large, noting that when approached, the former President of the UN General Assembly prioritized building a Church and a school over personal gains.
The event was also attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, religious leaders, among others.