Fr Kibuuka opens new prayer centre near Rubaga Cathedral

Defiant. Fr Kibuuka prays for worshippers during prayers at Wankulukuku yesterday. PHOTO BY EPHRAIM KASOZI

What you need to know:

  • Open. The defiant priest yesterday opened a new prayer centre at Sendi grounds in Wankulukuku just outside Kampala.
  • Expulsion. Fr Kibuuka was suspended in July this year and later broke away to join the Eastern Orthodox Church.
  • Claims. The estranged priest says he has survived more than five assassination attempts since his suspension and eventual expulsion that forced him to join a faith that follows the Antiochian rite.
  • Blame. The erstwhile confidant of Archbishop Lwanga blames his woes on self-seekers who allegedly fabricated stories against him in the media consequently leading to his expulsion. He insists he did not commit any crime to warrant expulsion.

Kampala. The disagreement between expelled priest Rev Fr Jacinto Kibuuka and the Catholic Church has taken a new twist after the former opened a new worship centre not far from Rubaga Cathedral, the main seat of the Catholic Church in Uganda.
Fr Kibuuka, who after being suspended for “insubordination” in July this year later broke away to join the Eastern Orthodox Church yesterday opened the new prayer centre at Sendi grounds in Wankulukuku, Rubaga Division. It is part of his Mamre Worship and Healing Centre at Namugongo, just outside Kampala.
The new centre will operate every Tuesday and Thursday. It is not far away from the Rubaga Cathedral parish, the former sanctuary of Fr Kibuuka. While announcing the new move at the weekend amid chants of “songa mbele” (move forward) from his flock, Fr Kibuuka said all was set for prayers to kick off at the new Wankulukuku centre.
“The police and local authorities have given us the green light. Nothing will stop me, I will continue praying for the faithful until I die,” he said.
Fr Kibuuka also disclosed that he has survived more than five assassination attempts since his suspension and eventual expulsion that forced him to join the Eastern Orthodox Church which follows the Antiochian rite. He vowed to continue propagating Jesus’ ministry by whatever means.
Speaking in the presence of several priests, including his former professor at Ggaba Major Seminary, the Rev Fr Dr Deogratias Ssonko, also Archbishop Lwanga’s former classmate and confidant, Fr Kibuuka poured out his heart about untold persecution he is facing from his former church. He said he recently talked to several Catholic bishops who now seem to understand his side of the story and reason for breaking away.
Earlier in November, a press statement issued by the Uganda Episcopal Conference and signed by its chairman, Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama, warned the faithful to shun all events organised by the excommunicated priest.
But Fr Kibuuka maintains he did nothing wrong to be suspended. “I committed no crime to warrant the archbishop (Lwanga) to suspend me. A group of self-seekers fabricated stories against me in the media,” he said.
Apart from his new prayer and counselling centre at Wankulukuku, Fr Kibuuka will continue to administer to his flock at Namugongo and other places in eastern and western Uganda. He has often talked of the stiff opposition he faced when he first opened the Mamre Worship Centre at Namugongo.
Fr Kibuuka at one time accused the Catholic Church at Lubaga of urging the police to tear gas him and his followers on accusations that they are a dangerous cult on the verge of causing trouble in the country. He said when the police visited the worship place, they saw no danger and reported back to “Lubaga” having found nothing but a peaceful crowd praying.

Possibly the Lubaga Catholic establishment had long forgotten that at the height of the run-up to the February 2016 presidential election, Fr Kibuuka had been invited on a number of occasions to State House to pray for President Museveni. Also some top military officers and politicians had been sighted at his prayer sessions. Fr Kibuuka, who has often told his followers to get ready to receive new Catholic priests, was previously a right hand man of Archbishop Lwanga and used to reside at his posh residence.
He played a key role in netting a Catholic nun, within the Archbishop’s residence, who reportedly tried to poison the Archbishop. The nun was put on a waiting van and sent back home.
With Fr Kibuuka now moving his prayer sessions closer to the Rubaga Cathedral, it remains to be seen what will become of his immensely popular and charismatic movement. The last time Fr Kibuuka operated around this area before being moved to the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine by Archbishop Lwanga, the Rubaga Cathedral establishment was “shaken” as worshippers at its Sunday Masses dwindled while crowds of worshipers thronged Fr Kibuuka’s prayer sessions at the nearby Lubaga hospital training school.
Efforts to get a comment from the chancellor, Fr Joseph Sebunya, were futile as his mobile telephone remained unanswered. Archbishop Lwanga could also not be reached for a comment.

The issues at hand

Expulsion. Fr Kibuuka was suspended in July this year and later broke away to join the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Claims. The estranged priest says he has survived more than five assassination attempts since his suspension and eventual expulsion that forced him to join a faith that follows the Antiochian rite.
Blame. The erstwhile confidant of Archbishop Lwanga blames his woes on self-seekers who allegedly fabricated stories against him in the media consequently leading to his expulsion. He insists he did not commit any crime to warrant expulsion.