The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches has developed standard operating procedures which they will adhere to if churches and other worshiping places are reopened.
In March, President Yoweri Museveni directed the closure all places of worship to tame the spread of Covid-19.
Bishop Joshua Lwere, the overseer of the National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches and senior pastor of Grace Assembly Church says that since most public places have reopened, there is no justification why worshiping places should remain closed.
“We are saying that churches can operate in a given way. These are organized places. To this effect, we have developed standard operating procedures for both rural and urban churches. We are going to submit them to the authorities for review,” says Bishop Lwere.
Bishop Lwere says that the SOPs will guide on the sitting capacity of churches, how faithful will enter and exit worshiping places in addition to the social distance and other health requirements before, during, and after services. He adds that a similar arrangement has been discussed by the inter-religious council members.
The development comes at a time when Christianity focus centre ministries’ lead pastor David Kiganda has threatened to mobilize the faithful to wear sacks starting on Wednesday if the government doesn’t reopen churches.
“If God’s houses remain closed, we shall have no other option than putting on sack-cloth as a sign of lamentation for our government,” Pastor Kiganda told this reporter before quoting the scriptures.
Pastor Kiganda had earlier posted a picture on his social media handle wearing sackcloth with words inscribed “I can’t breathe”. In the book of Esther, sackcloth was used as a symbol of mourning and debasement.
Although in many Christian denominations assembling for worship is critical to the faith, many churches adapted to the pandemic by holding virtual or televised services.
Since the government started a phased re-opening of the country, several religious leaders and faithful have asked the President to lift the suspension.
But, Pastor Solomon Male, the head of Arising for Christ Ministries, notes that the push for reopening of churches at this moment is not Godly but rather driven by ministers who want to make money from the already suffering followers.
“What is wrong with praying from home? These so-called ministers of God turned fraudsters are now plotting for means to start milking money out of their blindfolded followers. The lockdown had separated them from their ‘milk cows’,” says Male.
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