Kampala, (UG):- President Yoweri Museveni Sunday officially opened Prophet Samuel Kakande’s new mega-church and congratulated the ‘Man of God’ and his church on the construction of the magnificent worship centre at Mulago Kubbiri, the heart of Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
“The freedom of worship was a complex matter perpetrated by politics of sectarianism based on religion and tribe, and this had affected the broader national unity, wealth, and development. We rejected all that,” Mr Museveni said in a social media post.
“In the NRM, we didn’t concern ourselves with which religion, tribe, or race you belonged to. When we came into power, we made it clear that it was not the government’s role to judge which religion was right or wrong. That responsibility belongs to God, not to the government. If someone is telling lies, God will deal with them. I congratulate them once again and wish them good Luck!”
The church, dubbed, Temple Mount Church of All Nations was launched amid a flock of believers from Uganda and other parts of Africa expected in attendance on Sunday evening.
The ultramodern multi-storied building has been constructed largely through contributions from the church members.
Pastor Kakande ran an aggressive campaign for donations from church-goers and supporters, that often attracted criticism from sections of the public.
Church members were called to give periodic cash contributions while others were encouraged to bring in physical materials including truckloads of cement, steel bars and concrete.
A lot of the construction work and the donation drive were done during the COVID-19 pandemic when most families were under financial stress, which exacerbated the public scrutiny of the project.
Kakande in one of his sermons, said the church would serve to “differentiate between boys and men,” referring to other city pastors who have often attacked him publicly.
“From this building, you will be able to tell the boys from the men,” he said. “Somebody may stand and abuse us, but now we can see who are the men among the boys. Don’t mind those boys. They are just boys.”
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