Church condemns Kadaga's shrine visit

ntagali
ntagali
The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali has condemned the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga for visiting a shrine. "The Church of Uganda condemns syncretism and urges her Bishops and clergy to use this opportunity to proclaim the sufficiency of Christ crucified to meet all our needs, and to work pastorally with Christians to apply this glorious truth practically in their lives", reads a statement from Ntagali.

Over the weekend, Kadaga visited a shrine on Nhyenda Hill, Nakigo Sub-county in Iganga District allegedly to thank the gods for helping her retain her position as speaker of parliament. Kadaga who is a parishioner at All Saints Cathedral, defended her visit to the shrine, saying she was visiting her ancestors on one hand and promoting tourism on the other.

But in his statement issued on Wednesday evening, Ntagali says the Church was confused by reports of Kadaga visiting her ancestral shrine to give thanks or her re-election. "Like many Ugandans, Christians in the Church of Uganda prayed for Hon. Rebecca Kadaga in her re-election campaign for MP and also for her election as Speaker of Parliament. We rejoiced when the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ opened both doors for her to serve the people of Uganda again", reads part of the statement.

He appealed to all Christians in the Church of Uganda, especially those serving in prominent positions in government and businesses to live a life worthy of the calling they received and not to cause others stumble. Ntagali says that Christians are now challenged by the faithfulness, commitment, and witness of these youth as they approach the commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs.

He said that the willingness of the martyrs to renounce the world, the flesh and the devil is a model for how Christians should all understand living a life with a single-minded focus on Jesus as the only Savior and only Lord.  Kadaga is not the first high profile figure in the country to visit a shrine. In December 2004, then vice president, Professor Gilbert Bukenya raised uproar when he visited a shrine in Masaka District, saying he was praying for President Museveni to get a third term.

-URN