Donations will not compromise our faith - bishop
Madi and West Nile Bishop Charles Collins Andaku. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- The bishop also said his pledge to fight corruption in the church was one of his 10 point programmes he promised to tackle.
ARUA. Madi and West Nile Bishop Charles Collins Andaku has said vehicle donations to bishops by the State will not compromise the work of Church leaders in the country.
The bishop was addressing journalists on Sunday after receiving the vehicle which was donated in February after his consecration.
“The Motto of our country is for God and my Country and when the President gives such donations, he is like a father giving to his children, you cannot really refuse it... But that cannot compromise our faith and we are very clear with our partnership regulations. Things done in relation to our faith, we will uphold it and those which are not of our faith, we shall say no to it,” Bishop Andaku said.
There has been debate in the country as to whether the clergy should receive the offers mainly seen as coming from President Museveni saying they may end up being compromised by the government.
Number plate
Prime minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda presented the new vehicle to the bishop during his consecration on February 26 at the Cathedral in Mvara but was immediately taken back to Kampala because it lacked the number plate.
Last week, Daily Monitor published a story in which the bishop complained of lack of means of transport for himself saying the current vehicle he was using was a fuel guzzler and would drain the meagre resources of the diocese if he continued using it.
The diocesan secretary, Rev Isaac Candia, said the diocese was happy that the President had fulfilled his vehicle pledge.
“We want to express our gratitude towards His Excellence the President for always being concerned about the church, know the peace he has ushered in this country and the heart he has for the church, we cannot take it for granted,” he said.
Fighting corruption
The bishop also said his pledge to fight corruption in the church was one of his 10 point programmes he promised to tackle.
He said he has directed all the 11 archdeacons in the diocese to hire professional accountants to handle finance-related issues.
