Our tick drug is not harmful, says Pastor Kayanja
Pastor Robert Kayanja addresses journalists at Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga, Kampala, yesterday. Photo | Frank Baguma
What you need to know:
- NDA further said Pastor Kayanja used his position to lure desperate farmers and that his intention was not only criminal but also intended to cheat Ugandans.
Miracle Centre Cathedral senior pastor Robert Kayanja has dismissed claims by National Drug Authority (NDA) that Tickoff, an acaricide his church promotes, contains chemicals harmful to livestock and humans.
Addressing the media at the church premises in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb yesterday, Pastor Kayanja said: “I want to assure Ugandans that we did not put any chemicals in the product. Our product is 100 percent organic. Our product is free and none of the people who were given have been charged money for it.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, NDA said the chemicals were being mixed with animal feeds and mukene (silver fish) before being packaged without any expiry date, ingredients information or caution to users.
NDA further said Pastor Kayanja used his position to lure desperate farmers and that his intention was not only criminal but also intended to cheat Ugandans.
However, Pastor Kayanja yesterday denied any wrongdoing.
“I don’t know the lab they used to test our products. We have no mukene in our product. Our product is organic and we insist that every component there is designed from organ items,” he said.
Pastor Kayanja demanded that NDA should release the laboratory report it based on to make the claims to the public, saying neutral scientist should allowed to evaluate the findings.
“I have been involved in [community service] for 40 years. Whether in Karamoja, whether in Covid-19, taking food to South Sudan, or helping the community, we are not criminals, we are not terrorists, we cannot produce a product that will hurt Ugandans,” Pastor Kayanja said.
He added: “They told me [last] Thursday that our product had some dangerous chemicals. I have not seen the analytical laboratory report even up to today. So, I put the NDA to task to release that report.”
He also said they refused to hand over their formula because they had no legal biding with NDA.
He concluded that he would only share the formula once proper procedures are followed by NDA.
