“I want to praise God that after 147 years of the presence of the Christian religion here, a priest has emerged from my house,” Museveni remarked.
The President admitted that he initially did not pay much attention to Patience’s work in ministry. He explained that he had always believed there were enough priests around, and therefore did not fully understand the depth of her mission. Although he attended some of her preaching sessions when invited, he confessed that he did not concentrate on her message at the time.
However, Museveni’s perspective changed when Patience wrote a book about her life and her work. He took the time to read the manuscript before it was published, and it was then that he realized how much he did not understand about the Bible. “This book made me realize that I didn’t understand much about the Bible,” Museveni shared with the congregation, indicating that the experience brought him a deeper understanding of scripture and faith.
Scripture Union disagreement
President Museveni also reflected on his earlier years, when he was involved with the Scripture Union in the 1950s. He explained that he eventually parted ways with the group due to differences in their teachings. The Scripture Union, according to Museveni, discouraged people from working, suggesting that earthly wealth was insignificant and that true wealth was in heaven. This message, he said, clashed with his own belief in the importance of hard work and economic empowerment.
Museveni praised Patience for aligning her mission with the values that he and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have long promoted: unity and the eradication of poverty. He acknowledged the divisions that exist among different ethnic groups in Uganda, specifically referencing the conflict between the Bateso and Badama people in the Eastern region. He expressed his satisfaction that Patience’s message of unity was reaching communities and fostering reconciliation.
“I am happy that Patience’s mission is helping us drive this message,” Museveni said, adding that the church’s efforts complement the government’s work to bring people together and fight poverty.
The President concluded by thanking all attendees for embracing the message of unity during the conference and urged them to continue working towards peace and harmony in their communities.
