sodomy pastor resigns

By Rodney Muhumuza Najjanankumbi (Source: The Monitor, Kampala)

July 13, 2007: The Association of Churches for Born Again Christians announced yesterday that it is probing the lifestyle of Grace Kitaka, the Kampala pastor who has resigned following accusations of sodomy.

Pastor Alex Mitala, the overseer of the National Fellowship for Born Again Pentecostal Churches (NFBAPC), told a press conference yesterday that Pastor Kitaka would be condemned if evidence of what he called "perversion" is found.

 Pastor Mitala told the press of "the agony we are going through" over a crime "we strongly condemn". "We have received information that Mr Grace Kitaka, who of recent has been alleged to have been engaged in sodomy, has decided to resign from his position as pastor, pending investigations into the case," Pastor Mitala's statement said.

"We applaud this step that promotes the integrity of the Born Again Church community, and we hope that the truth will come out and appropriate justice will be administered."

The announcement means that should the investigators find evidence to implicate the cleric, the Kampala church of Imelda Namutebi, where Mr Kitaka is an associate, could also be blacklisted by the fellowship.

Although NFBAPC membership is voluntary, the fellowship has the authority to expose and expel from its ranks churches whose conduct challenges agreed-upon doctrine and practice.

Uganda has 20,000 churches for born again Christians, it was revealed yesterday, although only 1,020 are bona fide members of NFBAPC.

Sunday Monitor published an interview with a man who claimed that Mr Kitaka, his onetime benefactor, repeatedly sodomised him during his teenage days. It was not known if Mr Kitaka had denied the charges before throwing in the towel, but some reports suggested that he claimed he was the subject of a witch-hunt.

His accuser, Julius Lukyamuzi, spoke of how he was traumatised by years of sodomy performed on him, and how Pastor Namutebi attempted to enforce a cover-up.

Sempa happy

Pastor Martin Sempa of Makerere Community Church said on Tuesday he was "happy" that Mr Kitaka has been exposed. "All along I have been telling people about this guy," he said.

Pastor Mitala said he wanted all the "dirt" to be exposed and called on the police to "do their duty and protect the public".

Police spokesman Asan Kasingye said yesterday the CID had opened a file on Pastor Kitaka although he did not provide details of the progress.

The Penal Code Act criminalises sodomy or homosexuality, and a convict is liable to life imprisonment.

Interest in the activities of the Pentecostals has been stoked further by the recent arrest and interrogation at Entebbe Airport of a Ghanaian-born Kampala pastor who procured an "electric touch" machine that is believed to shock unsuspecting followers who think it is the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mr Kojo Obiri Yeboah is now the subject of a police investigation. He was yesterday disowned by Pastor Mitala. "Obiri is not known to us as a member of the Born Again Christian community in Uganda".

There have been rising cases of pastors' notoriety, including the arrest on Tuesday of Pastor Paul Mbaziira of Revival Word Ministries over alleged theft of a car and obtaining money by false pretences. Mr Mbaziira, 30, who has a church at Katovu town in Masaka District, is now in police custody.

Additional reporting by Issa Aliga