[Guess I will really be in it when the 20Million USD finally arrives. I have it from no other than Minister of Ethics and Integrity that I will have a share of that amount. Soon. A Ugandan soon? Can kind of stretch.]
Digression. I saw something on the news yesterday. A local TV station, NTV. It was a press conference, and, the Catholic Archbishop of Uganda, Cyprian Lwanga came out AGAINST the anti-homosexuality bill. This bill here, the text is still the same, so, I link to it.
Catholic teaching is against the bill. That is a matter of fact. The Vatican came out obliquely, but definately against the bill. For the last two months, the Catholic Church in Uganda has not uttered. Not a peep, officially. And I must sumise that it has taken some prodding for them to say something.
We have a Cardinal, retired. [I think the govt has compromised him. You see, I am an individual, who writes his thoughts, and I think there is something definately out of sycnh the last few times the Cardinal has been quoted in the New Vision as saying something. Usually, definately in support of the government]
Diversion! My mind is wandering... Sorry.
But, the head of the Catholic Church in Uganda is the Archbishop.
And, yesterday, in a wide ranging press conference, he came out definately, AGAINST the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. He acknowledged Catholic teaching on homosexuality, but still came out to say that he is against criminalisation. And, that the bill would have problems with Pastoral care, let alone the harsh punishments of death and life imprisonment.
Significant? Of course.
I saw it on the news, NTV at nine. My partner commented that it was on an fm radio station. And, I thought that it would be splashed all over the newspapers today. But, there was nothing about it.
Yesterday, I was over the hill. I know the significance of the Archbishop speaking, on behalf of the Catholics. This morning, looking for the actual words, text, I was flabbergasted. The New Vision reported not a hint of it. Government paper, not discussing homosexuality. I just shrugged it off.
But, a helpful hint from the photo in the New Vision, that mike is from the NTV.
The Monitor reports another story. I was asking myself WHERE is the story....! Incidentally, the story in the monitor is from a cleric speaking on behalf of the Uganda Joint Christian Council, which includes the Catholic Church. And, it says that the bill is good. Except for the death penalty. What pious Christians!
I was beginning to doubt myself. Had I been dreaming the issue?
No way. I have learnt to trust what I see, what I hear. And, to look and test what people tell me.
But, I needed another source of confirmation. And, voila, on NBS news at 9 this morning, the story was the same. The Archbishop came out categorically with the Church's Position on the anti-homosexuality bill. They do not support it.
What does this mean for me?
Well, as a matter of fact, I think that they do support the bill [smile]. I gave a lot of reasons here. Far as I am concerned, they still stand. Check the post Catholic Silence. But, the Catholic Church does speak with one voice. The higher the official in the hierachy, the better. And, the 'Bwana Mukulu' in Uganda came spoke. Period.
That means that the other diversionary news stories, which want to obscure the statement, that they are not correct. The Church cannot deny supporting the bill, and at the same time have the Uganda Joint Christian Council speak for them on the bill like in the Monitor article here.
More importantly, as in this letter here, Pastor Martin Ssempa cannot be speaking for the Catholic Church. I know he will continue saying he does, till he gets a public smark down...!
Hey, if this story had been given wider play in the news here, (it was, on fm, on TV, but not in print), it would give some welcome distraction for the President... The heat was a bit fierce after the Monitor's revelation about the American assurances.
What does it mean for me?
For the first time, I am really cautiously hopeful. The Catholic Church is important here. Too many adherents to the faith to be unnoticed. And, they are very, very faithful. And obedient. All things that I am not, but which I value in them...
By the way, as Obua-Ogwal was intimating, he didnt care that western religious leaders were against the bill. So what? Ugandan Church leaders are for the bill. Which seems true, but not true. Of course, when they play the same old games, I will start accusing them of hypocrisy! And lies. Churchmen dont like that... except the irrepressible Ssempa.
Yes, that was a very nice Christmas Eve gift. Now, if only Nsaba-Buturo is correct about the 20M USD...! My christmas will be made...!
gug
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