For God and My Country

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Statement concerning conspiracy against Pastor Kayanja's accusers



Dear Ssempa friends,

Happy New Year greetings. I am sure many of you have read today's stories and the ones in the last few days with keen interest concerning my wellbeing. Many of you have called wondering if I am okay, as it was reported that I went missing from Police which wanted to arrest me on Chritmas Eve! I am indeed okay having had a most distressing pre christmas season. I along with a few pastors have been highlighted to be charged by the police and DPP for allegedly conspiring to injure the reputation of Pr Kayanja! Today's monitor publication run the story as DPP approved conspiracy charges against Pr. Kayanja's accusers. This accusation is baseless and most unfortunate.

I was just doing my job as a pastor when a Robson came to me for counselling. He was afraid and kept saying how dangerous it was for him. I want you to read what he essentially told me which he later wrote in an affidavit. You decide if this was some story he made up. I know for sure working with victims of sexual abuse and trafficking is a very dangerous job and our experience is no difference. It is claimed that I promised to pay him Sh 160,000 to make this up. Is this a story that can be woven for a fee of $70. Could it actually be true and that the law enforcement is unable or unwilling to deal with it?



Asides this, I am very embarrassed that now pastors are in the news for all issues..Sodomy! I really wish this was not so. I am also troubled because it all does not make sense to me and my wife! It would have made sense for the police to go after me if; Smuggled wines were found in my home, or Iwas found to be driving a stolen vehicle by intepol. It would make sense if I made failed prophecies about the death of some opposition politicians or if my associate pastors were involved in husband snatching or in court for sodomy! If I was in court on why I carried several passports or why I was moving around with small group of armed men with AK-47s. Maybe if my generosity of painting and giving to the police had caused parliament to make a statement telling me to stop it would have made sense. But all this does not make sense..so I ask that we pray and ask some hard questions.

For now I am scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday morning. If the preaching of truth and helping the victims of abuse leads me through some valleys of hardship then I will go through it. My prayer is that I will be a history maker for the glory of God. Happy new year 2011

Have safe holidays and remember to give to those in need.

Martin Ssempa


Another story ... Pastor Robert Kayanja's “Image” and the Arrest of Pastor Solomon Male


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Kato Mivule | December 22, 2010

www.yesumulungi.com


Those who have been following Uganda's Evangelical Church news in Uganda could not fail to realize that Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center has been on a Media blitz trying to “restore his reputation and image”.
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From the holding of a Prayer Breakfast for Uganda's top politicians and press coverage of his wife's “Girl Power” conference, and rubbing shoulders with the Archbishop of York, Ssentamu, Pastor Robert Kayanja has undoubtedly been on a media blitz, doing PR to repair his image rather than that of Jesus Christ with whom there seems to be a large and widening contrast.

A few years ago a group of Ugandan Pastors reported to the Ugandan Police cases of boys who claimed they had been sexually molested by some of Uganda's mega church Pastors including Pastor Robert Kayanja. One of the Pastors, Grace Kitaka resigned, others, including Pastor Robert Kayanja vehemently denied the allegations.

The Ugandan Police claimed to have carried out investigations but made a turning surprise when they received large donation for housing renovations for the Police department from Pastor Robert Kayanja. The Police then accused the victims of sexual abuse of making false allegations and tainting the “image” of Pastor Robert Kayanja.

The young boys who had reported to their local Pastors that they were sexually abused, were instead hunted by police and arrested. The Pastors who had obeyed Ugandan laws by reporting the allegations of sexual abuse to police were in turn arrested, others are still fighting court cases in Ugandan courts of law. As of Ugandan media reports Pastor Solomon Male together with his lawyer were arrested by Ugandan Police personnel and accused of making false allegations against the “reputation” of Robert Kayanja.

What these Pastors, headed by Pastor Male had simply done was to bring the concerns and serious allegations of sexual abuse to Ugandan Authorities. Instead corruption and injustice ruled the day and the abused became the accused. This is one reason why the Ugandan Anti Homosexual Bill was strongly supported by Pastor Solomon Male and others who saw no way of escape and justice but rather blamed the Gay community for all the child sexual abuse cases in Uganda as a consequence and thus derailed their fight against Child Abuse and Sexual Molestation that continues to plague Uganda.

Yet this turn of events by Ugandan authorities arresting Pastor Male for simply reporting that young boys are being sexually molested is not only wrong and unjust but plain evil. Further still, arresting his lawyer only shows that justice in Uganda belongs to the select few, the powerful


Notes
[1] “New Vision Online : Sodomy case: Pastor Male arrested, Sempa flees.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/741917. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[2] “Daily Monitor: - National |Pastor and advocate detained for implicating Kayanja in sodomy case.” [Online]. Available: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1077294/-/cjw8roz/-/index.html. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[3] “New Vision Online : Oil a blessing to Uganda – Kuteesa.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/741737. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[4] “allAfrica.com: Uganda: Kayanja Promises Greatest of All Crusades.” [Online]. Available: http://allafrica.com/stories/201012130054.html. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[5] “Robert Kayanja - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kayanja. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[6] “List of Christian evangelist scandals - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_evangelist_scandals. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[7] “New Vision Online : Police criticised over Kayanja offer.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/678328. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[8] “New Vision Online : Police clear Pastor Kayanja of sodomy.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/681656. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].
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[9] “New Vision Online : Police arrest Kayanja sodomy accuser.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/681968. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[10] “New Vision Online : Police backtrack on Pastors sodomy case.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/10/10/682120. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

[11] “New Vision Online : Kyazze quizzed over sodomy allegations.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/683410. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2010].

Content



politicians in unholy matrimony with the clergy.

Uganda's Police painted a picture that it is not in their interest to protect the weak in society but rather their mission seems to be the protection of the powerful and well connected, no wonder Uganda still has to fight the “image” of being a banana republic.

Interesting and ironic is that the same government of Uganda that finds resources to protect the “image” of a powerful evangelical preacher is at the same time working hard to pass bills for the execution of gays in Uganda.

Ugandan authorities should have allowed for due process for those who alleged that Robert Kayanja sexually abused them. According to Ugandan Media reports, The Police claim that they could not find any evidence of anal penetration on the victims of sexual abuse and thus cleared Robert Kayanja on any wrong doing. Such claims are not only laughable but show how inept the Ugandan Police are.

Thousands of sexually abused victims do not necessarily have evidence of anal penetration. To look at anal penetration as the only evidence of sexual abuse shows total ignorance, ineptitude, naivety, and absurdity on part of the Ugandan Police. The sexual abuse allegations should have been taken more seriously and experts allowed into the investigation.

Yet even the arrest of Pastor Solomon Male's Lawyer, accusing him of filing a false affidavit on behalf of the sexually abused victims shows that the Police were bent of clearing Robert Kayanja's name and refurbishing his “image” at all costs.

Pastor Robert Kayanja might have momentarily succeeded in repainting his “image” but that image of Jesus Christ in the lives of many has been totally damaged...Pastor Robert Kayanja was more interested in his own “Image” than that of Jesus Christ. Even a local Church commission of inquiry into that matter could have shown some respect for the sexually abused victims and due process – at least according to New Testament teachings.

The “image” we have of Pastor Robert Kayanga now is one of an autocratic Pastor, friend of the powerful and corrupt African politicians, well connected and one with power to thwart justice at any cost.

The story of the fall of mega church preachers continues, from TBN's Paul Crouch, Bishop Eddie Long, Ted Haggard, DayStar's Marcus Lamb, among others, all with money and power...but scandals they cannot prevent.

Pastor Kayanja should have gone the route of Pastor Simon Kayiwa, who after being accused of witchcraft, human sacrifice, and devil worship submitted to a Church commission of inquiry into that matter, the commission later disagreed on the final report but cleared Pastor Kayiwa...instead Pastor Robert Kayanja has set his own precedent...and like the blind leading the blind, the ditch is not far away.