KAMPALA .The Church of Uganda has acknowledged that its stand on homosexuality and same-sex marriage has led to a significant decline in donor funding. However, the church remains optimistic that God will continue to bless it with supporters who share its mission and vision.
According to Mr Balaam Muheebwa, the acting Church of Uganda Provincial Secretary, the church’s main sources of funding include offertory, thanksgiving, tithe, personal commitments, and donations.
However, donations have greatly dwindled following the donor pull-out triggered by the Church’s decision to condemn homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Despite the decline in donor funding, the Church of Uganda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Paxtel Telecom, which will guide their partnership and potentially lead to new opportunities.
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, described the partnership as a “Kingdom opportunity to transform the lives of God’s people.”
“We treasure the coming of Paxtel Telecom. We are forever grateful,” Mr Muheebwa said amid thunderous applause. The partnership aims to harness the power of technology to serve the community, foster development, and create a more connected and prosperous society.
The Church of Uganda has been vocal about its stance on homosexuality, with Archbishop Kaziimba recently opposing the appointment of Rev. Sarah Mullaly as Archbishop of Canterbury due to her reported support for behaviors that contradict biblical doctrines.
Despite the challenges, the church remains committed to its mission and vision. Mr Muheebwa noted that the church is seeking like-minded partners who can support its work.
“Our stand as Church of Uganda is very clear, and we are not about to compromise that, and we have no apologies,” he said.
The partnership with Paxtel Telecom comes at a time when the church is facing financial challenges, including a decline in offertory collected during services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The church has to finance various projects, including the pension scheme for retired church leaders and investing in its idle land.
Paxtel Telecom and the Hamilton Telecom family donated Shs50 million to the Church of Uganda to improve the welfare of retired prelates.
The company also donated Shs 10 million to the diocese of Karamoja. The chairman of Paxtel Telecom, Mr John Kamya, said the strategic partnership is a shared vision to harness the power of technology and serve the community.