Friday, June 12, 2009

Uganda Human Rights Commission investigates Sodomy allegations

The pastors accused of defaming Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center by alleging that he engaged in sodomy of some of his male followers have welcomed the intervention of the Uganda Human Rights Commission into the case.

Pastors Solomon Male of Arise for Christ, Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church and Mike Kyazze of Omega healing Center say it is important that the UHRC has started hearing cases of the young men who were allegedly sodomised.

Pastor Male said he appeared before the UHRC panel investigating the matter yesterday and gave them information on how the alleged sodomy victims approached him for help.

He says the pastors are ready to cooperate with the UHRC and the police to ensure the vice of sodomy and homosexuality in the church are being investigated.

Male was speaking today at Central Police Station where Pastor Kyazze was questioned over giving false evidence against Pastor Robert Kayanja by alleging that Kayanja is involved in sodomy. Male and Ssempa were questioned over the same matter last month.

Pastor Kyaze said the police and other authorities should focus on the young men who alleged they were sodomised by Pastor Kayanja and not the pastors who are helping the young men get justice. Kyazze says the police is treating the pastors as criminals yet they only demanded for justice for the alleged sodomy victims.

Pastor Kyazze quizzed over Sodomy

ANOTHER pastor was yesterday questioned, bringing to five the number of clergy interrogated over allegations of sodomy against Pastor Robert Kayanja.

Felix Ssemujju of Omega Healing Centre in Namasuba, a Kampala suburb, arrived at the Kampala Central Police Station at 10:00am and addressed journalists.

Ssemujju said last November, one of Kayanja’s accusers, Samson Mukisa, approached him and narrated his ordeal.
“He told me that Kayanja had sodomised him. I counselled and prayed for him. I also advised him to make a statement,” he told the journalists.

He however, denied allegations that Mukisa, who has since withdrawn his statement, was promised trips to Sweden among other goodies if he tarnished Kayanja’s name.

Flanked by Pastor Solomon Male, he appealed to sodomy victims to seek assistance.

Other pastors who have been questioned over Kayanja’s woes are Male, Michael Kyazze, Bob Kayiira and Martin Ssempa.

Kayanja who has also been questioned by the Police denies the allegations.

CID officers dropped from sodomy inquiry

Andrew Bagala

Kampala: Two senior detectives have been dropped from the investigations into sodomy allegations against Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre.

Weeks after President Museveni criticised the Criminal Investigations Directorate’s handling of the inquiry, in which seven people are accusing Pastor Kayanja, the police has assigned, Ms Grace Akullo, the head of the narcotics unit, to take over the case, replacing Mr Venacio Tumuhimbise and Mr Amos Munyeneza.

One of the alleged victims, Mr Samson Mukisa had accused Mr Munyeneza of forcing him to retract a statement.

Pastor Kayanja was early this year accused by six victims - Mukisa, James Ntwatwa, Ronny Mutebi, David Mukalazi, Akansiime and Robinson Matovu of sodomising them while they served in his church.

GRILLED: Pastor Kyazze (L) at Central Police Station in Kampala on Tuesday. PHOTO BY YUSUF MUZIRANSA

However CID chief Edward Ochom later cleared Pastor Kayanja and instead chose to investigate the alleged victims and pastors Michael Kyazze, Martin Ssempa, Solomon Male, Annet Kyomuhendo and Bob Kayiira accusing them of setting up Pastor Kayanja.

President Museveni’s intervention, after the pastors criticised the Police conduct, forced the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, to convene a meeting of the warring parties in which the CID was directed to conduct the inquiry in a more professional manner.

Pastor Kyazze was on Tuesday interrogated for seven hours at the Central Police Station. The Police also summoned another pastor, Felix Ssemujju, who allegedly received the victims at Omega Healing Centre in Namasuba, to appear at CPS today.

But Pastor Kyazze said he does not believe in the Police inquiry. He said an independent commission should be established to investigate sodomy in the country.

“We shall not stop to talk for the victims of abuse. The issue is not Kyazze or Ssempa or Male. The issue is about the victims of sodomy,” he said.
Pastor Kyazze added: “I told the detective what I know about the sodomy victims and told them that nothing will prevent us from fighting homosexuality.”

Mulago awards Midwives

By Francis Kagolo

Mulago Hospital has introduced monthly awards for midwives.

The head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department, Josephat Byamugisha, said the awards are intended to motivate midwives to offer quality services.

The programme was initiated and funded by the Midwives Empowered, a local NGO run by Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere University Community Church.

Mary Grace Akao, 37, on Friday won the inaugural award worth sh100,000 and a certificate.

Mulago has one of the busiest maternity wards, with about 30,000 deliveries every year.

“We are only 62 midwives. We earn sh280,000 per month, yet we are not given lunch,” said Rose Nakayiza, the in-charge of the maternity ward.

“A midwife can spend a day on duty without having lunch, yet there are several mothers to attend to.”

Several reports have indicated that many new-born babies die at the hospital, a problem attributed to the poor attitude of midwives towards mothers in labour.

Presenting the award, Byamugisha said: “We deliver between 60 and 80 mothers every day. Only a motivated team of midwives can handle such a high number of women.”

Ssempa urged the Government to invest more in improving the welfare of midwives and health workers.

Pastor Ssempa challenges other Pastors to speak out on Homosexuality

Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church has attacked colleagues in the Pentecostal movement of conspiring to remain silent on matters of sexual abuse in the church.

Sempa, who is one of the pastors crusading against sodomy in the Church, claims the problem will persist in the church if pastors do not come out openly to condemn.

He says many pastors are secretly calling and encouraging him but they can not come out to join him for fear of being labelled enemies to pastor kayanja and others who have been accused of sodomizing followers.

Sempa also advises the elders in the Pentecostal churches to advise Kayanja to resolve the matters within the church system because he himself chose to drag his accusers to court.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Empowered Midwives

Mulago Hospital has introduced monthly awards for midwives.
The head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department, Josephat Byamugisha, said the awards are intended to motivate midwives to offer quality services.

The programme was initiated and funded by the Midwives Empowered, a local NGO run by Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere University Community Church.
Mary Grace Akao, 37, on Friday won the inaugural award worth sh100,000 and a certificate.

Mulago has one of the busiest maternity wards, with about 30,000 deliveries every year.

“We are only 62 midwives. We earn sh280,000 per month, yet we are not given lunch,” said Rose Nakayiza, the in-charge of the maternity ward.

“A midwife can spend a day on duty without having lunch, yet there are several mothers to attend to.”

Several reports have indicated that many new-born babies die at the hospital, a problem attributed to the poor attitude of midwives towards mothers in labour.

Presenting the award, Byamugisha said: “We deliver between 60 and 80 mothers every day. Only a motivated team of midwives can handle such a high number of women.”

Ssempa urged the Government to invest more in improving the welfare of midwives and health workers.