President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday, December 11, presided over the opening of Pastor Samuel Kakande's newly constructed church, the Synagogue Church of All Nations, located in Mulago, Kampala.
Following the launch, President Museveni took to X to share his thoughts:
"Congratulations to Prophet Kakande and his church on the construction of a magnificent worship centre. The freedom of worship was a complex matter, previously hindered by the politics of sectarianism based on religion and tribe, which had negatively impacted national unity, wealth, and development. We rejected all that.
"In the NRM, we didn’t concern ourselves with which religion, tribe, or race you belonged to. When we came into power, we made it clear that it was not the government's role to judge which religion was right or wrong. That responsibility belongs to God, not to the government.
"I, therefore, congratulate them once again and wish them good luck!"
Meanwhile, during his sermon, Pastor Kakande made remarks that many netizens interpreted as a veiled jab at Pastor Aloysius Bujjingo, who has been collecting funds for church construction for years without visible progress.
Pastor Kakande said:
"... From our new building, you can know the men and the boys. You can differentiate the men and the boys... when you search the whole town, you can know the men and the boys... because somebody may shout too much and they stand to abuse... but you can know now the men and the boys... so, you people, don't mind those boys. Don't mind those boys... those are boys! Don't listen to boys, no, no, no!"
The remarks sparked discussions online, with many speculating about the intended recipient of Pastor Kakande's message.