From the Kampala Daily Monitor, 3 October:
Buganda Road Court has convicted four Kampala pastors, a businesswoman and a musician for conspiring to tarnish Pastor Kayanja’s reputation.
Pastor Kayanja, heads Lubaga Miracle Centre, in Kampala. His accusers claimed that he sodomised several youths at his church.
Pastors Solomon Male, Martin Ssempa, Michael Kyazze and Robert Kaira, together with Ms Deborah Anita Kyomuhendo, a businesswoman and David Mukalazi, a musician, were convicted by Buganda Road Grade I magistrate, Julius Borore.
Ssempa achieved internet fame in 2010 following a graphic presentation in which he conflated homosexuality with coprophilia (“and this one is eating the poo-poo all over the place… I mean, look at these guys, sincerely! Bishop!”).
I discussed the accusations against Kayanja back in 2009, and the trial of his accusers last year. As I noted previously, there is an international dimension to all this: Kayanja has links with Benny Hinn and Paul Crouch (such is the climate of hysteria around homosexuality in Uganda that in 2010 Hinn was himself accused of sex with Kayanja in the notorious Red Pepper newspaper), while Ssempa used to be allied with Rick Warren (although once this became controversial Warren distanced himself from the association), and in 2007 and 2009 he spoke at events organised by the “Every Nation” neo-Pentecostal grouping.
Ssempa and his co-conspirators were fined and ordered to undertake community service; the pastors have been working in hospitals, which has allowed them to continue to promote themselves and their “ministries”. Last week, Ssempa was quoted as saying that
“I have always wanted to do community work so that I exercise the gospel of a good neighbor physically. I’m enjoying every minute of this. In fact instead of 100 hours, I’m going to extend my services to the needy people here for more 100 hours. That’s 200 hours.”
Meanwhile, according to the New Vision:
“I am glad that I am through with this task which has been instrumental to my life. I have used this period to spread the gospel to the sick and many have devoted themselves to God,” said Kyazze.
Naturally, Ssempa continues to maintain that he is the victim of “injustice”.
(H/T Box Turtle Bulletin)
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