By Chris Mugasha
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has challenged religious leaders to have in place plans which will sustain church ahead of the difficult times awaiting church.
“Sustainability is what is important now and as church leaders you must think of sustainability plans because you don’t know what is likely to happen in tomorrow,” Tayebwa noted.
He added, “In the developed countries (like Europe, UK, USA) some areas which were formerly church have been closed while others have been turned into bars while in China some people are happy that there is no religion.”
Tayebwa was on recently officiating at the celebrations of the Bishop of Diocese of West Ankole Rt. Rev Johnson Twinomujuni who was celebrating 7 years as Bishop. The function was held at Bweranyangi Conventional gardens in Bushenyi district.
“I am looking at a day when a Diocese will start to support the lower churches by sending there money unlike today’s trend where lower churches are the ones sending money/support to the Diocese,” Tayebwa explained.
Tayebwa said the only way for church to be sustained is for church leaders to think of establishing income generating projects at all church establishments especially land and having economically empowered Christians who are having income generating projects in their homes. “You need money to run church projects up to completion level,” he noted.
The deputy speaker further challenged church leaders especially reverends/priests not to look on when institutions which were founded by church are struggling while others are collapsing.
He explained that due to poor leadership, some schools are at the verge of collapse because they were misguided to acquire bad loans. “Reverend, if you visit a school and the head teacher gives you an envelope, then know that, that’s the beginning of the collapsing of the school because that envelope was not in the budget,” Tayebwa warned adding that, “Reverends, you must be serious with schools.”
Tayebwa congratulated and commended Twinomujuni for preaching the gospel of unity and hard work across the diocese and beyond.
Twinomujuni said one of the Diocese’s strategies to socially and economically empower Christians is to have a strong financial institution where Christians and the general public can access affordable credit to venture into income generating projects.
“One of our major achievements is that we have grown the Jubilee SACCO from Shs4.2 billion in 2017 to now Shs14 billion with branches spread across the Diocese,” the Bishop said stressing that, “we have bought a commercial building in Bushenyi Town, which hosts Jubilee SACCO, we have rented out Katungu facilities to Kyambogo University among other income generating projects.”
He also disclosed that they have distributed over 49,000 coffee seedlings to churches and some individual Christians.
Twinomujuni said in education, they have uplifted the diocesan schools’ academic performance and discipline and priotizing the growth of the Diocesan University project, Ankole Western University (AWU). “Its (AWU) support has been consolidated. We now give AWU about Shs150million yearly. The student population has tripled,” the Bishop said.
The Diocesan head of laity Willis Bashaasha saluted the Bishop for promoting and preaching Ecumenism which has not only encouraged inter-religious harmony in the diocese, but also provided a platform for unity and co-existence.
At the celebrations, a number of Christians were recognized for their longstanding contribution to church. End.
