The Kitanga Parish Priest in Kabale Diocese, Fr. Gaetano Batanyenda, through his Easter message, chose to crucify Jesus Christ once again when he castigated the four Judges of the Supreme Court for what he termed as letting down Ugandans with unfair trial and judgment.
Fr Gaetano was referring to the consolidated appeal that stemmed from applications by city lawyer, Male Mabirizi, six opposition members of Parliament and Uganda Law Society challenging the decision of the Constitutional court to uphold the approval of the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2017, which paved way for scrapping of the presidential age limit. He said he was “mourning the shock decision by the Supreme Court”.
For heaven’s sake, Man of God, Fr Gaetano, how come the same court you are belittling is the same court you praised when they reinstated Betty Nambooze and several other members to Parliament? So to you, justice is only served if it’s in favor of your personal conviction?
You must understand the Bible more than your ordinary flock and surely, you must comprehend Romans 13: 1-2.
”Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves”.
The honorable judges rely on procedure, norm, facts, evidence and they put in consideration very many factors before they give a ruling. They don’t have to bow to pressure and self- pity to pass judgments because the likes of a few self- seeking politicians under the veil of priesthood like Fr Batanyenda will baselessly roar.
Fr Batanyenda is not the saint he wants to be perceived as. Going back memory lane, the good Father started an NGO called Kick Corruption out of Kigezi which he recently expanded into Kick Corruption out of Uganda whose mission and objectives are all political. Fr Batanyenda then changed his NGO’s mission to what pundits saw as a scheme to kick Museveni out of Kigezi in the previous presidential general elections. Yet in broad day light in early 2016, he blessed and gave a green light to Museveni, an aspiring President then, to successfully carry on with his presidential campaigns. By doing this, he positively played a role in his massive come back when he won all his contenders in a landslide victory.
This shows the two-faced nature of the political priest, oblivious to his flock.
We all recall when the man of God while serving as a District Council for Kasambya Sub-county in then Kabale District, got full Government funding for a gravity water project but went ahead to solicit funds from an Italian NGO to fund the same project.
It is on record that he removed the authentic Government labels and put the NGO’s to de fraud Government. Can the good old Father account for all the nails he pierced though Jesus Christ by doing this? How much more can a man of God, mandated to hoist the religious flag, crucify the savior once more?
Kitanga SACCO members accused the good old Father of swindling their pick-up vehicle when he adamantly clung to the SACCO’s top leadership even when his term of office had expired. Oh! How he lives by example! Recalling the oath you took on Ordination day Fr Gaetano; does this really show the world that you practice what you preach?
Fr Gaetano needs to be reminded of the scriptures in his Bible with which he seems to have lost touch. According to Romans 2:20-24, “An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? — You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.”
Fr Gaetano! Practice what you Preach.