By Mike Sebalu
President Yoweri Museveni has re-echoed his call to church leaders about the need for believers to participate in income-generating activities in addition to seeking spiritual nourishment from places of worship.
The President also asked believers to take the example of Jesus Christ who besides teaching, praying, and fasting, was also a carpenter.
This was in his speech read for him by the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, Office of the President, Hon. Beatrice Akello, during the opening ceremony of Our Lady of Assumption parish in Kyankwanzi district, Kiyinda Mityana Diocese on Sunday, where he was invited as the chief guest,
“While working for God’s coming kingdom, we should not neglect our lives here on earth. It’s important to emphasize to believers that in addition to seeking spiritual nourishment from the places of worship, they should also participate in income-generating activities,” Museveni’s speech reads in part.
“All believers should take the example of Jesus Christ who besides teaching, praying, and fasting, was also a carpenter. He earned his bread as a carpenter. Religious leaders should use their pole pits to encourage their believers to work towards poverty eradication,” he added.
The President also re-echoed the message of wealth creation at the household level by prioritizing expenditure on electricity, roads, schools, hospitals, peace, and security.
“The visionary leadership of the NRM government has established a solid foundation for Uganda’s development and economic transformation. However, development alone is not enough. Though it must come first, development is a corrective good for everyone but wealth and jobs belong to the individuals, to families, to groups or companies,” Museveni said.
He further observed as many households in Uganda are still engaged in subsistence farming as he implored them to utilize the four major sectors for creating wealth and jobs which include commercial agriculture, Industrialization, Services, and ICT.
Speaking at the same function, the area’s Bishop, Antony Zziwa said their main concern whenever they open up a parish is to instill religion among other things.
“We as always, a Catholic Church whenever we open up a new parish, our first priority is faith. So our concern mainly and first is to instill religion among the young people, the elderly, even those who have almost abandoned God, we are here to pray with them.”
Our Lady of Assumption Parish opening brings the total number of parishes in Kiyinda Mityana Catholic Diocese to 32. Its opening marked the end of the 40th-anniversary celebrations for the diocese.
