05/01/2024
THE YEAR 2024 BEGUN WITH SHOCKING NEWS:
I was shocked but not surprised by the alleged gun attack on Pastor Bugingo that left his Assistant/ Driver/Church-elder/ UPDF- SFC bodyguard dead.
Gun violence has been so normalised in Uganda that every time an incident like that happens, we are all left wondering who the next victim might be!
Now, I guess we're going to see Gen. Museveni blame this on pigs or ADF. Our Muslim brothers and sisters have always been the scapegoat and of late, political opponents as we saw in the case of Hon. Ssegirinya and Hon. Sewanyana.
Unfortunately, NONE of these gun attacks over the years has ever been investigated to a logical conclusion.
This is because, either the regime has no capacity to do so, or they know who the killers are but are trying to cover up. In any case, so many times, after such an incident, we have been told that critical evidence in these murders or attempted murders has gone missing from government stores or that case files have been stolen. Suspiciously, they often claim that CCTV cameras were not working at the time or the CCTV footage goes missing!!
At times, hardcore criminals who have confessed to having murdered people in cold blood have been arrested, only to be released and armed again on the orders 'from above'.
There are more questions than answers because there is no trust in state institutions- no wonder many citizens are questioning if the said attack was real or stage-managed.
Whatever it is, I send sympathies to Pastor Bugingo, his family and all those who fellowship at House of Prayer Ministries. I also send sympathies to the family of the deceased, Mr. Richard Muhumuza.
Although Pastor Bugingo has been very hateful towards us and our struggle for a better country, I want to encourage all of us to pray for him at this time and extend sympathy towards him and his family.
Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:44-45, to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." Maybe God gave him another chance so as to open his eyes to the realities in our country. For him to see what exactly we are fighting for! Yes, he publicly rejoiced when some of our people, including our brother counsel Wameli died, but we must have the courage to return love where there is hate.
I hope he will use his life to glorify God and not men, and to hate the devil and not fellow human beings.
Our country is so messed up, that some 'men and women of God' feel safer with soldiers and guns other than the presence of God, and they struggle to appease those in power instead of appeasing the almighty God. What a shame!
I also hope it reminds all those who are used by the dictator against their own people. In a lawless country, no one is safe!
We must never wait for such crimes to happen to us or our loved ones before we speak out.
When we complain and demand that our country is governed better, that guns are not in wrong hands, that crimes are investigated, etc...the regime apologists claim we're simply doing politics, until they're the victims!!!
So many examples have been given in the past, but unfortunately, they never learn!
