Bishop asks Museveni to pardon jailed church members

The Bishop of Yahweh Pentecostal Mission, Rev Joel Mukalo, has asked President Museveni to pardon two of his followers who are on remand over contempt of court.

Mr Emmanuel Owiny and Mr Benedard Ogwang are on remand over charges of an alleged robbery and going armed in public after they allegedly attempted to block court bailiffs from effecting a court order in Lango Sub-region.

Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) Uganda under the leadership of Bishop Peter Emyau, in 2015, dragged the defunct PAG Lira, now Yahweh Pentecostal Mission to court.

But the ruling has not gone down well with Yahweh believers, who have since protested it.
The termination of the services of Lira Pastorate Bishop Mukalo in 2013 is believed to have ignited the breakaway from PAG Uganda.

“We do pray to His Excellency, the President, to pardon our brothers and release them from jail because they have done nothing wrong. This is a matter that has angered very many people,” Bishop Mukalo said while officiating over the commissioning of Awake Pentecostal Church in Otuke District on Friday.

The bishop said all churches built and registered under PAG Uganda were constructed through a fundraising drive and other means by their followers. 

“Because of that conflict, a number of our Christians have been arrested, tormented, tortured and jailed. Some are out of jail but others are still there in jail here in Otuke,” he added.

The state minister for Northern Uganda, Ms Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, assured Yahweh believers that all shall be well.

“If this is a fight where the Lord is and the Lord says all battles belong to him, it will surely come to an end,” she said.

Background 
Yahweh Pentecostal Mission has churches spread across Lira, Amolatar, Otuke, Alebtong, Dokolo, Kole, Kwania, and Apac districts. It has a general population of more than 300,000 members, with the majority of them women and children.