Kaziimba rebukes absentee fathers

PARENTING | FATHERS | KAZIIMBA

KAMPALA - Church of Uganda archbishop His Grace the Rt. Rev. Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has urged fathers who have shunned their responsibilities in families to repent and support their wives and children whom they abandoned.

Kaziimba, whose preaching on Easter Sunday focused on the biblical verse of Matthew 26:14, referred to men as Juda Iscariots who betray their supposed lifetime souls whom they marry for love and commitment.

"Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and asked: 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So, they counted out 30 silver coins,” Kaziimba said.

While preaching during the morning service at All Saints Church Cathedral at Nakasero, Kampala, Kaziimba said many men have abandoned their families to resorting to alcohol, polygamy, crime, corruption and greed. He, therefore, asked such men to use the Easter period to come closer to God.

“90% of men have neglected their families completely. 5% of them have families, but they do not connect to them emotionally. Only 5% of men connect emotionally to their wives and provide for them and their children,” he added.

The Deputy Prime Minister of East African Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga and the former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Elioda Tumwesigye attend Easter prayers at All Saints Church Nakasero. (All Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba)

However, New Vision could not independently verify the archbishop's statistics about the men and their families.

Kaziimba challenged men to rise from bitterness with Jesus Christ’s Easter celebrations and renew their vows with God for their families to live happy lives forever.

Men responsible for domestic violence

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs Rebecca Kadaga, castigated men who have abandoned their responsibility in raising families saying domestic violence has increased, which she entirely blamed on men who use an iron hand in resolving family issues.

“When we call meetings with families for instance in villages which we represent, only women turn up for such engagements so I appeal to men to change their ways,” she said.

Former Ethics Minister Miria Matembe in church during Easter prayers at All Saints Church Nakasero.

A total of 17,698 cases of Domestic Violence were reported to Police in 2022 compared to 17,533 cases reported in 2021.

The Police report added that domestic violence has mainly been caused by disputes over family property, failure to provide for the family, drug and alcohol abuse and cases of infidelity.

By the end of 2022, a total of 1,357 cases of domestic violence were taken to Court, out of which, 207 cases secured convictions, while 1,447 cases are still pending in court.

“A total of 18,549 people were victims of domestic violence, of whom 3,728 were male adults, 13,052 were female adults and 819 were male juveniles, while 950 were female juveniles.

Among the important dignitaries who turned up for the Easter morning service was former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, former science minister Elioda Tumwesigye, and former ethics minister Miria Matembe.