Uganda’s President Museveni Commends Powerful Church-State Alliance in Driving National Wealth Creation

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has warmly praised the historic, long-standing partnership between the Government of Uganda and the Church, characterizing it as a vital pillar for the socio-economic transformation of the country. Speaking during the historic consecration and enthronement of the Right Reverend Canon Michael Lubowa as the 5th Bishop of Central Buganda Diocese, the President emphasized that the state and religious institutions must continue to work hand-in-hand to eradicate household poverty.

Mobilizing the Church to Fight Poverty

Addressing thousands of Christians, traditional leaders, and senior clergy gathered at St. John’s Cathedral in Kasaka, Gomba District, President Museveni stressed that spiritual nourishment must be coupled with tangible economic development. He urged the new leadership of the Central Buganda Diocese to use its sweeping administrative structures and community influence to actively mobilize the population into the money economy.

The President challenged religious leaders across Uganda to lead by example, encouraging them to establish model farms, promote modern agribusiness practices, and guide their congregations toward high-yield enterprise selection. He maintained that true spiritual freedom can only be achieved when families are securely shielded from the vulnerabilities of poverty and subsistence farming.

Strengthening Institutional Partnerships

To actively support the newly enthronement, President Museveni gifted Bishop Lubowa a brand-new Mitsubishi Pajero sport utility vehicle to facilitate his pastoral and community outreach work across the diocese. In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, the President also made a significant financial contribution toward the completion of critical diocesan infrastructure projects, including schools and healthcare centers.

The Vice President of Uganda, Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, along with senior cabinet ministers, attended the consecration in a strong show of government solidarity. In their remarks, the state leadership reconfirmed its commitment to providing matching grants and resources to support Church-led healthcare networks, agricultural programs, and technical vocational institutes operating across the country.

A Call for Unity and Spiritual Discipline

The colorful consecration ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Reverend Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu. In his main charge, Archbishop Kaziimba urged the new Bishop to focus heavily on fostering regional unity, fighting theological divisions, and safeguarding the moral fabric of the community.

In his inaugural charge to the diocese, Bishop Michael Lubowa thanked the President and the government for their continuous structural and financial support. He pledged that the Central Buganda Diocese would maintain an unyielding focus on expanding church-founded schools, scaling up community health centers, and partnering directly with state wealth creation programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) to ensure that development trickles down to every household.