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New Vision

Church speaks out on Kabaka's son

Publish Date: Jan 25, 2012

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  Kabaka Mutebi and prince Semakookiro
  By Norman Katende
  
  The Church of Uganda is non-committal on whether the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, is still free to receive Holy Communion after siring a child out of wedlock. Senior Church of Uganda clerics at the Provincial Office, Namirembe Diocese as well as Namirembe Cathedral, who were interviewed yesterday, said it was not within their mandate to say whether the Kabaka can still receive the Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist.
  
  Under the Anglican faith, the Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continued remembrance of his life, death and resurrection, until his coming again. Only those who have repented their sins are
  eligible to partake of the Holy Communion. Both Catholic and Anglican churches bar openly polygamous men from receiving Holy Communion.
  
  The Kabaka wedded Sylvia Nagginda Luswata at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe in 1999. However, the Katikkiro of Buganda Eng. J.B. Walusimbi last week announced that the Kabaka had been blessed with a baby boy, Prince Richard Ssemakookiro. Revealing that the baby was born in July last year, the Katikkiro, however, didn’t identity the baby’s mother. He only indicated she belonged to the Nsenene (grasshopper) clan.
  
  However, investigations by New Vision have since revealed that the baby’s mother is called Rose Nansikombi, a daughter of Ssalongo George Edward Sserebe and Nnalongo Christine Nalubanjwa of Bamunanika, Luwero. Rev. Can. Dr. Alison Barfoot, the director of Communications in the Provincial Church of Uganda, said matters relating to the Kabaka were not for the Archbishop or the Provincial office, but for Namirembe Diocese.
  
  “That (matter) is not under the jurisdiction of the province. You have to contact the diocesan secretary,” said Allison.
  On his part, the Diocesan secretary Rev. Can. Nelson Kawesa, said it was not within his mandate to comment on the Kabaka. Instead he referred New Vision to Namirembe Cathedral where Kabaka’s wedding was held.
  
  “That is a liturgical matter which is not under my mandate. I only deal with the administrative issues in the diocese. You should refer that to the cathedral where he was wed,” said Kaweesa. But the assistant Vicar of Namirembe cathedral, Rev. David Sekiziyivu equally distanced himself from the issue, saying the person to talk about it is the retired Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo.
  
  “That is a tricky issue which I cannot comment about. The best person to comment about it is the retired Archbishop (Nkoyoyo) who presided over their wedding,” Sekiziyivu said. Nkoyoyo earlier was quoted saying he wouldn’t comment about the matter.
  
  “I am the one who wed them and I cannot comment about it,” said Nkoyoyo when the news broke out that the Kabaka had been blessed with a baby boy.
  
  New Vision’s sister paper, Bukedde quoted retired Bishop of Mukono Diocese Rt. Rev. Paul Luzinda saying that the Kabaka had committed a sin and should repent for what he had done.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Give Careful Thought To Your Ways

5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands." (Haggai 1)

God asked His people how they could live in luxury when His house was lying in ruins. The temple was the focal point of Judah's relationship with God, but it was still demolished. Instead of rebuilding the temple, the people put their energies into beautifying their own homes. However, the harder the people worked for themselves, the less they had, because they ignored their spiritual lives. The same happens to us. Many of us have had some of the American dream, bought homes in mortgage, bought cars on notes, some are paid off, have or have had good jobs, brought our husbands, our wives, our children, our sisters, our brothers, our cousins, our relatives, our friends, our parents here. Many have found wives and husbands here. Many have given birth to children who are automatically American and European citizens. Some of us even have American names. Some have American and European citizenship and green cards.

If we put God first, he will provide our for our deepest needs. If we put Him in any other place, all our efforts will be futile. Caring only for our physical needs while ignoring your relationship with God will lead to ruin.
Because the people had not given God first place in their lives, their world was not fruitful or productive, and their material posessions did not satisfy. While they concentrated on building and beautifying their own homes, God's blessing was withheld because they no longer put Him in first place. Moses had predicted that this would be the result if the people neglected God.
(Deut. 28:38-45)
However, some of these blessings have blown away with the wind! Mortgaged houses have been foreclosed or returned to banks. Cars have been reposessed or returned to banks. Accidents have ruined cars. Money sent to Uganda to build houses has been mismanaged, mishandled and stolen by those you trusted! Today you have a good job and earn well. Tomorrow you don't have a job and you eat up all your savings! Businesses and organisations have been founded and folded under! In Kampala/Buganda your land is being grabbed by thugs or other!

Give careful thought to your ways. Reconsider the way you live.

Rev. Jessica