President Yoweri Museveni has been asked to consider allocation of 10% of government’s annual budget to the Church as a tithe offering to God.
That way the country will end its perennial dependence on other countries and world bodies for development, the President was told.
This call was made by Pastor Robert Kayanja of the Rubaga Miracle Center Cathedral last night while he hosted the President and First Lady Janet Museveni during the ongoing prayer program dubbed 77Days of Glory.
“Mr. President, I need you to consider tithing,” appealed Pastor Kayanja. “10% of our national budget must be removed.”
The man of God suggested that the 10% should be placed in the hands of President Museveni to hand it to the Church, “because he is a believer and most trusted.”
“The Bible says ‘bring the 10% to the house of God, so there may be food,’” he said, adding that he had been able to build the magnificent Cathedral and completed many other projects through the tithe.
Kayanja stressed, “There is a blessing that comes to people when they tithe. Israel has survived on that.”
“You (Museveni) have given much, such as cars to bishops, you have financed many church projects and I hope it will be written in history that you have opened up more churches than any other president.
“But now there is much more, when resources are given to any leader for the purposes of God. Our 10% as a nation if given to God, the remaining 90% will do much more.”
The pastor said government paying tithe would not only break its dependence, but also grow the economy faster.
He said his church has already embarked on chasing this dream.
“To break the spirit of dependence, we raised $70,000 and gave it to other countries. This is our seed to seven countries, from Uganda. Uganda we are no longer beggars but givers.”
On his part however, President Yoweri Museveni did not directly address or respond to this request.
He on the other hand thanked Kayanja and his church for finding time to praise God for delivering Uganda out of anarchy and consolidating the peace that the country is enjoying.
“When I come to these gatherings and see so many of you, when I go to Namugongo and see millions of people praising the Lord in their own ways, and knowing where we started from, I remember the story of the mustard seed. I feel very happy. I am glad that you praise the Lord for the peace that you have,” said Museveni.
“Some people take peace for granted, yet a few decades ago Uganda was synonymous with chaos and bloodshed. But now we have all these young people who have grown up without seeing bloodshed,” he said.
The president went on and urged the congregation to utilize the prevailing peace to lure other non believers especially the superstitious and those practicing witchcraft to turn to God.
Museveni narrated to the church that he himself had problems with his soldiers who believed in witchcraft during the bush war.
“They believed that if they moved around while carrying a reed, they would not be shot at. So I asked one of them to hold the reed so I could shoot at him,” he said.
Meanwhile the First Lady asked Pastor Kayanja and the church to pray that God sends rain to various parts of the country that have been hard hit by drought.