At the National Jubilee Prayers in
Namboole, President Yoweri Museveni made history when he openly repented
his sins and the sins of Uganda, a move that has excited many religious
leaders . Here is the prayer verbatim.
Father God in heaven, today we stand
here as Ugandans, to thank you for Uganda. We are proud that we are
Ugandans and Africans. We thank you for all your goodness to us.
I stand here today to close the evil
past and especially in the last 50 years of our national leadership
history and at the threshold of a new dispensation in the life of this
nation. I stand here on my own behalf and on behalf of my predecessors
to repent. We ask for your forgiveness.
We confess these sins, which have
greatly hampered our national cohesion and delayed our political, social
and economic transformation.
We confess sins of idolatry and
witchcraft which are rampant in our land. We confess sins of shedding
innocent blood, sins of political hypocrisy, dishonesty, intrigue and
betrayal.
Forgive us of sins of pride, tribalism
and sectarianism; sins of laziness, indifference and irresponsibility;
sins of corruption and bribery that have eroded our national resources;
sins of sexual immorality, drunkenness and debauchery; sins of
unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred and revenge; sins of injustice,
oppression and exploitation; sins of rebellion, insubordination, strife
and conflict.
These sins and many others have
characterised our past leadership, especially the last 50 years of our
history. Lord forgive us and give us a new beginning. Give us a heart to
love you, to fear you and to seek you. Take away from us all the above
sins.
We pray for national unity. Unite us
as Ugandans and eliminate all forms of conflict, sectarianism and
tribalism. Help us to see that we are all your children, children of the
same Father. Help us to love and respect one another and to appreciate
unity in diversity.
We pray for prosperity and
transformation. Deliver us from ignorance, poverty and disease. As
leaders, give us wisdom to help lead our people into political, social
and economic transformation.
We want to dedicate this nation to you
so that you will be our God and guide. We want Uganda to be known as a
nation that fears God and as a nation whose foundations are firmly
rooted in righteousness and justice to fulfil what the Bible says in
Psalm 33:12: Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord. A people you
have chosen as your own.
I renounce all the evil foundations
and covenants that were laid in idolatry and witchcraft. I renounce all
the satanic influence on this nation. And I hereby covenant Uganda to
you, to walk in your ways and experience all your blessings forever.
I pray for all these in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Religious Leaders React
The Church of Uganda Archbishop elect,
Stanley Ntagali said the prayer was a step in the right direction. That
it was appropriate for the head of state to repent of his sins and the
sins of Ugandans.
The leader of Pentecostal churches,
Apostle Alex Mitala, said the prayer was the beginning of the healing of
a nation. “All the nations we read about in the Bible were healed when
their leaders repented and acknowledged God’s supremacy,” he said.
Mitala urged Ugandans to turn away from their wicked ways.
Pastor Dr. Martin Kalibbala of New
Testament Covenant Church warned that the fruits of repentance are what
matter. “If you repent of stealing, God expects you to immediately stop
stealing. If the President’s repentance is genuine, it will be measured
on God’s yardstick of bearing the fruits of repentance,” he said.
Pastor Dr. Martin Ssempa of Makerere
Community Church said it was a good thing for the President to repent on
his behalf and on behalf of the nation. He commended those who
encouraged and helped the President prepare the prayer, adding that God
will answer it.
“We hope the President’s repentance will result into greater obedience to God by the executive, which he heads.
Source: newvision.co.ug
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