We shall never accept homosexuals — Ntagali
The outgoing Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Stanley Ntagali (2nd left), receives a caricature from James Abola (right), the head of laity at All Saints Church, Nakasero. Ntagali said homosexuality has no place in Uganda. This was during his last service as leader of the Church of Uganda in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE
Kampala- The outgoing Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali has said they will not be intimidated to accept same sex marriages.
“We cannot follow the teaching of the liberals of the West, which have told us the Bible is the book of the past and that men can marry men, and women can marry women. We are saying no to that liberal teaching ...we have said no to same sex marriage and we shall continue to say that until Jesus comes back,” Archbishop Ntagali said.
The archbishop was yesterday speaking at All Saints Cathedral Nakasero where he held his last service as the leader of the Church of Uganda.
He also admonished people who blindly adopt foreign cultures like homosexuality on the pretext of sophistication and globalisation. Ntagali has been vocal against homosexuality and during last year’s Martyrs’ Day celebrations at Namugongo, he announced that Uganda would not attend this year’s Lambeth Conference, a top Anglican conference organised by the Bishop of Canterbury, over disagreements on same-sex relationships.
In August last year, State Minister for Finance, Mr David Bahati, applauded the Archbishop for supporting the Anti-homosexuality Bill which he (Bahati) had tabled in Parliament.
Archbishop Ntagali also decried greed, adding that it has escalated corruption, which has eaten away the country’s morals.
“Today people are comparing other things with God, money has become people’s god, some people worship money, some people worship positions of leadership, some people worship property...We need to trust God more because he is the source of every blessing,” he said.
The outgoing archbishop also cautioned political aspirants to be truthful to voters and desist from selling off property to fund political aspirations. “Leadership comes from God, the electorate, don’t be bribed by politicians with cheap money. This is making you cheap...you have a constitutional mandate to use your ballot paper to vote the person you like,” he said.
Archbishop Ntagali also called on parents, government and the Church to protect children’s rights and protect children from drug abuse.
Archbishop Ntagali
The 64-year-old will hand over office to Archbishop-elect Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, on March 1, at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe.
Dr Kaziimba will lead the Church as the 9th Archbishop and will become the 8th Bishop of Kampala Diocese.
Archbishop Ntagali was born in Ndorwa County in Kabale District on March 1, 1955. His family later migrated to Wambabya Parish in Kizirifumbi Sub-county in Hoima District (present day Kikuube) when he was aged 16.
