Religion: UAFCR blames dismissed arrant members on bad publicity, malicious social media posts
Jinja – 19, October 2021: The leadership and members of the Universal Apostles Fellowship Church of Righteousness (UAFCR) have clarified that their Church is one of the best in offering spiritual and physical nourishments to followers and communities at large.
This comes days after social media carried out claims against one of its top leaders.
Recently, social media reports alleged that one of the UAFCR pastors in charge of Kaliro had asked followers to sell off their properties in exchange for plots of land in heaven.
The social media reports claimed that more than 40 followers had been reduced to paupers after selling off their properties in response to calls by Pastor Teddy Nambaala who purportedly promised them luxurious lives in the next world.
“…we have a number of programmes and activities including skills development, agriculture, farming and business activities aimed at improving the welfare of followers,” Joseph Tilabira, one of the senior members based in Kaliro comments.
Tilabira dismisses as false and misleading the “endless negative media reports which have portrayed the Church as unethical,” and instead blame some members who have been suspended for spreading such “malicious statements”.
He says the Church, now 58, has existed since 1963 as a local grown gospel founded and nurtured in Uganda by Ugandans and all along it has been serving humanity premised on its well thought of theme: “Do your best to win full approval in God’s sight.” The theme was derived from 2 Timothy 2:15.
Another senior member, Ivan Isiko of Jinja where a big Church structure exists has explained that the falsehood and propaganda machinery are being circulated by former members who have been dismissed on various grounds.
“…the Church, like any other bodies and organizations, has mechanisms in place where issues of discipline or conflicts are handled in transparent and ethical ways but some people don’t observe and resort to misinformation…’ Isiko told this publication.
According to one of the directors Rev Oboth-Padde Stephen, UAFCR is one of the oldest and largest Pentecostal Churches in Uganda with close to 2,000 Churches in East and Central Africa.
Oboth-Padde, in a press statement explains that apart from preaching the gospel of righteousness, UAFCR has a strong partnership with the government to support empowerment campaigns aimed at income generation activities.
He adds that the Church has for decades engaged in farming activities in many parts of the country which have been visited by prominent national and international dignitaries.
He said with apparent reference to the Lukumbi Farm under the Sasakawa where former US President, Jimmy Carter visited in 1997 while in Uganda.
Information available reveals that UAFCR was started by Prophet Noah Kalange and Rev. Micros Mafabi in 1963 for the purpose of spreading the Gospel of righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church also has several other vibrant projects of nurturing and mentorship which has helped hundreds of thousands of members throughout the country including counseling services.