City pastor pleads for Museveni cash

Chosen. Pastor Godfrey Luwagga (Centre) at his consecration as the overseer of Kampala Regional National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches in Kampala on Saturday. PHOTO BY EPHRAIM KASOZI

What you need to know:

  • Justification. The man of God claims the President promised Shs30m as compensation for people who died when a church collapsed in 2006.

Kampala. A pastor has castigated State House officials for allegedly failing to implement President Museveni’s condolence pledge of Shs30m since a church in Kalerwe, Kawempe Division, collapsed 12 years ago, killing 25 people and injuring many others.
On the evening of March 8, 2006, a church building of City of the Lord Outreach Ministries collapsed on worshippers following a downpour.
According to Pastor Godfrey Luwagga, the President offered Shs30m to the bereaved families, which was to be delivered through the Department of Religious Affairs, but the money has never been received despite several reminders.

The incident
“In 2006, we had a tragedy and lost some members and others got injured. President Museveni gave us Shs30m but the money has never been released to me,” Pastor Luwagga said but added that he had never informed the President about it.
Speaking soon after being consecrated as the overseer of Kampala Regional National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches on Saturday, Pastor Luwagga lamented that the affected church has since incurred more than Shs700m in compensation for the tragedy and suffered running court battles, which one time nearly landed him in prison.
Mr Don Wanyama, the Senior Presidential Press Secretary, could not comment on the matter, saying he needed time to consult the concerned departments.
“I will try and inquire about that because it is just coming to me for the first time,” he said.
Pastor Luwagga, who has been installed to oversee Pentecostal churches in Kampala, will serve for a renewable five-year term.

Pledge
He said he will urge pastors to construct proper church premises to avoid recurrence of the 2006 tragedy.
He also appealed to government to accord VIP status to Pentecostal churches at national functions to promote equality among religious leaders.
Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda commended the churches for championing peace and national reconciliation.
In a speech read for him by Ms Beti Kamya, the Kampala Affairs Minister, Dr Rugunda asked the Pentecostal churches to take the lead in fighting poverty through encouraging hard work among their believers.
Ms Kamya urged the churches to utilise government programmes, especially for women and youth, to develop their people.
Court at City Hall dismissed charges of building without approved plans against Pastor Luwagga on grounds that he was charged under a non-existing law.