President Yoweri Museveni has called on Christians to balance their spiritual life with practical economic efforts for a more fulfilling, sustainable, and productive livelihood.
In a message delivered by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among during the thanksgiving service and the 10th anniversary of Rt. Rev. Paul Kiptoo Masaba’s episcopal ministry in the Diocese of Sebei, Kapchorwa District, on Sunday, 28 September 2025, Museveni said Christians should go beyond prayer and worship to address household economic needs.
“Christians should not only seek spiritual needs—through prayer, fasting, praise, and worship—but also strive to earn household income to meet essential requirements such as food, shelter, and medicine,” Museveni said.
He emphasized that money is essential in a modern economy, urging households to move beyond subsistence living.
“In today’s world, you cannot obtain the goods and services necessary to sustain life without money. The first step is to eliminate moneylessness by engaging in profitable enterprises in one of the four sectors: commercial agriculture, industry, services, or ICT. These are the sectors where jobs and wealth can be created,” he added.
The President commended the Diocese of Sebei, under Bishop Kiptoo, for encouraging believers to pursue better standards of living and recognized diocesan projects geared towards job creation and poverty eradication.
During Thanksgiving, Speaker Among, joined by His Grace Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, dedicated St. Peter’s Cathedral Kokwomurya to God and commissioned the Diocesan Health Centre IV and a guest house.
The newly dedicated cathedral becomes the latest addition to the Anglican Church, which has so far constructed 488 health centres and more than 1,000 primary and secondary schools across Uganda.
Speaker Among praised the Church for complementing government programs in education and health, and pledged the government’s full support for such initiatives.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Hon. Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, who represented President William Ruto, reaffirmed the cordial ties between Uganda and Kenya. He noted that both nations are working together in key areas, including border trade, safety, and security.
“In terms of security, we are working together and learning from Uganda to ensure guns do not fall into the wrong hands, to control contraband and illicit alcohol across the border, and to strengthen taxation policy,” Murkomen said.
Archbishop Kaziimba applauded Bishop Kiptoo for a decade of resilient and dedicated ministry. He prayed that the new cathedral would become a fortress of sanctity, forgiveness, and reconciliation for the Christian community.
However, Kaziimba also cautioned against Christians who treat the church as a stage for showbiz rather than worship.
“Some Christians build churches but rarely worship in them. Some leaders attend church only to be recognized. No prayer can take anyone to heaven if they don’t love the Lord,” he said.
He further advised the Church not to conduct funeral services for those who had no love for God during their lifetime.
“People who never liked the church should not have their bodies brought to church,” Kaziimba stressed, urging Ugandans to respect their leaders while calling on leaders to reciprocate that respect.
