Nine arrested over Pastor Bugingo protest

Police arrest one of the activists during a protest against House of Prayer Ministries pastor, Aloysius Bugingo's comments on July 15, 2019. PHOTO MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

What you need to know:

Obstetric fistula is a hole between the vagina and rectum or bladder that is caused by prolonged obstructed labour, leaving a woman with uncontrolled flow of urine or faeces or both.

Police have arrested nine people for demonstrating over House of Prayer Ministries pastor, Aloysius Bugingo’s apology to his wife Teddy following comments that he tolerated her in their marriage even when she had haemorrhage for 10 years.
The suspects who include eight women and one Edison Kakuru, the president Makerere University School of Education were arrested on Monday at Bat Valley Primary School in Kampala where a section of rights activists had converged to work on a petition, to the Speaker of Parliament, against Pastor Bugingo.

The suspects are currently detained at Central Police Station in Kampala as detectives continue with investigations.

Activists display a placard during their protest over Pastor Aloysius Bugingo's apology to his wife Teddy following comments that he tolerated her in their marriage even when she had fistula for 10 years photo by Michael Kakumirizi


The activists who displayed placards with inscriptions ‘Justice for women #Teddy deserves Justice’ appealed to Uganda Communications Commission to reign on Pastor Bugingo over what they described as unbecoming utterances.

"Imagine the hustle we have to go through to explain to our children such kind of behaviour," Ms Sophie Gombya, a woman activist who doubles as a musician said.
The women activists asked government to punish pastor Bugingo to serve as a lesson to other men “with such unbecoming behaviors”.

A photo montage of House of Prayer Ministries pastor, Aloysius Bugingo and his estranged wife Teddy. FILE/COURTESY PHOTO


They said Bugingo’s utterances portray him as an unethical person who does not deserve to be a pastor.
Pastor Bugingo last week told his congregation that he spent a lot of money on buying cotton wool for his wife, whom he is seeking to divorce.

However, moralists and women rights activists condemned the pastor, saying his remarks show lack of respect for women.

Police deployed at Bat Valley Primary school where a section of women activists had called for a meeting over Pastor Bugingo’s comments. Photo by Michael Kakumirizi


Obstetric haemorrhage is a hole between the vagina and rectum or bladder that is caused by prolonged obstructed labour, leaving a woman with uncontrolled flow of urine or faeces or both.
Activists had Sunday planned to buy cotton wool and sanitary pads and deliver them to his church as a pay back to those he used to buy for his wife. Police had to deploy at his church fearing that the two groups would end up in a fight but the activists did not turn up.

Pastor Bugingo said his statements were just to echo his wife’s earlier testimony she made in the church that she suffered from a disease similar to haemorrhage that doctors failed to treat for 10 years until God healed her.
He is seeking to end his 29-year marriage with wife Teddy after she accused him of engaging in extramarital affairs.