PHOTO: Fatigued Joshua Lwere is recorded in a video justifying why he has banned the electoral process to get his successor
● More Pastors Mount Pressure On Lwere To Leave In Peace As His 2nd Term Ends
● Sserwadda Speaks Out On Land Title Whereabouts
NEWS EDITOR MEDIA TEAM
AN INVESTIGATIVE story, this mighty News Editor Media Website published on Tuesday about a scandal where Bishop Joshua Lwere, the outgoing General Overseer of the Fellowship for Born-Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda (NFBPC) allegedly transferred into his company land donated by a top URA boss to the Balokole Fellowship, has deepened!
For starters, the said land in Namanve, Mukono district which is measuring approximately 1 acre was donated to the Fellowship in 2013 by a one James Kisaliza, former commissioner Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Pr. Leonard Sserwadda who is the Masaka based Regional Overseer (RO) and a member of NGC also one of the five aspiring candidates who want to unseat Joshua Lwere has written about the whereabouts of this land title, as more pastors mount pressure on Lwere to prepare to leave office since his two terms’ limit has expired. A defiant Lwere has however said, he is going nowhere!
A shocking video clip showing intepred as refusal to leave office and how he plots to ban NFBPC Electoral Commission works has finally leaked! We have it. Very shameful to the body of Christ! (This video is uploaded on our Facebook page. Just log-in news editor online)
Unlike his predecessors Prof. Simeon Kayiwa of Namirembe Christian Fellowship and Apostle Alex Mitala who truthfully served and left in peace when their two constitutional terms expired, Lwere isn’t planning to leave office, its sad!
He has copied notes from some politicians and wants the Constitution amended. He has influence a clique of a few people who he wants the amended constitution to empower and they vote for him so that he rules for life!
WHAT IS IN LEAKED LWERE’S VIDEO ON BANNING ELECTORAL PROCESS
In a 1:36 minute video clip recorded when Lwere was seated in church talking to someone (not shown), this senior Pastor of Grace Assembly Christian Church Sir Apollo Kaggwa road in Kampala said, him as a leader is banning the electoral process, although it is well stipulated in the NFBPC constitution, saying it will tear down the Fellowship.
In this Video, Bishop Lwere said, “To us as leaders, that cohesion, the unity is more important than the electoral process. If you allow the electoral process to go on, it is going to tear you down, you will have a good electoral process which is going to tear you down.”
In fact a few days to the election of the new General Overseer, the election process has been stopped, aspirants banned on the orders of Lwere from holding consultative meetings.
Lwere who many think fears living the life of not being the General Overseer for Pentecostal Churches in Uganda said, “You have followed the law (of electoral process) but the whole thing is gone. So which is more important if it was you sitting in my seat today? Which one would you protect? Electoral process or the unity of the fellowship? We are protecting the big picture, we are protecting our unity.”
Justifying his unconstitutional move, Lwere says because all the five candidates aspiring for the General Overseer, a top officer in the National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches (NFBPC) are maligning and mudslinging each other, that kills the spirit of Fellowship, so him as a leader he would rather do away with the elections of new leaders thereby protecting the unity of members in the Fellowship.
In the video, Lwere who looks fatigued and very stressed said, “If you have these five people contesting (for General Overseer National Fellowship for Born-Again Pentecostal Churches), and each one is maligning and mudslinging the other, that is not allowed spiritually. You can do it in the world, but in the church you can not. Whether it’s a local church or a church organisation.”
He said when people start to malign and mudsling each other, “We know you are going a wrong direction. We have a responsibility to correct that. When one stands up and says, ‘No that one is nothing….’, already you have created divisions. Because if he wins an election, will these people you told that he is nothing follow him? Will they continue to be part of the fellowship?”
“So would you rather protect the electoral process than controlling the umbrella itself and the cohesion? What is more important, is it to protect the unity of the whole thing or protecting the electoral process that will end up tearing the fellowship! Does that make sense?” Asked Lwere in the Video.
According to the NFBPC constitution Article 22 (5 b) (b iii), “After two consecutive terms, the General Overseer may only be eligible for re-election if a period equal or more than the total length that he spent in office has elapsed.”
Meaning, since Lwere’s two terms have elapsed, a new General Overseer should be elected, for he may return to contest for the same office if he wishes to, in the future but not at the expiry of his two terms. So he has to leave office to pave way for the election of the new NFBPC leader.
The Electoral Commission of the National Fellowship for Born-Again Pentecostal Churches is mandated as per the Fellowship constitution to organise elections for the new General Overseer and other offices.
EC had released the road map and already five pastors declared interest to contest for the top office.
These are; Leonard Sserwadda from Masaka, Fredrick Ssemazzi (former General Secretary (NFBPC ) from Bukasa in Muyenga, Joseph Nsubuga (current National Mobilizer) from Komamboga Kawempe, Moses Odongo (the current National Clerk) from Namuwongo, and renown Pr. David Micheal Kyazze of Omega Healing Centre Namasuba on Entebbe road.
In fact, Pr. Michael Kyazze, a senior Pastor in the Country had traversed the whole country to seek for endorsement by fellow Pastors.
PR. FRED KASULE FIRES AT JOSHUA LWERE
Responding to Lwere’s video, Pr. Fed Kasule on August 13, 2022 wrote this, “The explanation in the video clip is sufficient enough to cause a good high magnitude of doubt in proportion to the secondary act that was taken by NGC. It may cause one to assume that an official written communication would be made to Electoral Comission who is the responsible organ, and be informed of the happenings, concerns, worries and be told to handle the situation at the earliest possible rather than tampering with the Electoral Roadmap and it’s activities.”
Pastor Kasule revealed that he is sure if it was done in that professional manner of handling business in organizations, the EC could take charge and call all aspirants in a meeting to regulate and guide them.
“I am of the view that the aspirants would heed the CG EC. This would be the right best way to handle the situation ideally. The situation didn’t need any NEC or NGC resolutions if it was handled professionally and as per NFBPC organ, protocols, and policies of functionality and operations. It’s good, the General Overseer (Joshua Lwere) has come out, express and justify his motive.”
BACK TO PASTOR SSERWADDA’S WRITEUP ABOUT LWERE’S LAND SCANDAL
In a message written by Lwere’s ‘yes man’ Leonard Sserwadda and shared to different Pastors’ forums (WhatsApp groups), a message which analysts believe he was coached to tell lies to the flock of Christ, he said, “I am here to clarify that the land titles are safely handled by our National Treasurer, Bishop Oduchi. Reports that our General Overseer Bishop Joshua Lwere transferred the land title into his company, is incorrect.”
In our story published on Tuesday this week which went viral world over, pastors accused Bishop Joshua Lwere, a renown Anti corruption crusader for not only plotting to amend the NFBPC constitution and remove term limits so that he can run again as leader of Born-Again Fellowship in Uganda, they also alleged, Lwere transferred the Namanve land title into his own company!
They even said, this is what Lwere has done for the Fellowship in his ten years tenure, nothing more.
Bishop Leonard Sserwadda, the Masaka Chairperson House of Bishops(regional overseers), also a member of NGC said, the said land title is in very safe hands.
However Pastors demand to have a look at the title and some wanted it shared on their WhatsApp groups for Lwere to disapprove those alleging that he transferred it into his company.
Leonard Sserwadda also said, Bishop Lwere doesn’t have any intention of tampering with the NFBPC constitution in order to remain General Overseer as many believe.
He said, “In the former Masaka meeting, where we discussed the constitution and found out that there were expired organs like Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and Electoral Commission (EC) because of COVID, we came up with an extra Ordinary General Meeting so as to expand their term temporarily until the nearest AGM because the AGM is the supreme council to guide the fellowship. There is no hidden agenda in the AGM.”
However, impeccable sources confirm, a four-days Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been called to amend NFBPC Constitution and remove term lifts so that Lwere can run again or even be declared a sole candidate.
In July 2022, Bishop Mark Wamala the General Secretary NFBPC wrote to NEC members, Members of the Council of Elders, the NFBPC Ministers and the NFBPC electoral Commission inviting them to the NFBPC Annual General Assembly scheduled for August 22nd – 25th, 2022 at Lwere’s Grace Christian Centre church located at Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road.
Others invited in the Annual General Meeting intended to clear Lwere for a third term are; The Constitutional review Commission, the five members from each of the NFBPC Regional councils, the five members from each of the provincial councils and the five members from each of the NFBPC district councils.
Bishop Wamala’s letter reads, “This is to officially invite you to the General Assembly as per Article 17: 2b of the Constitution as amended in 2016.”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NFBPC
The National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda (NFBPC-U) was formed 32 years ago in 1990.
Records show, it was an idea by the then President Museveni’s Government Minister Balaki Kirya who was a Born-Again.
General Overseer (GO) of NFBPC is the ultimate leader of the Fellowship of Pentecostal Churches in Uganda.
The first General Overseer was Prof. Simeon Kayiwa of Namirembe Christian Fellowship.
Kayiwa became GO in 1990 -1995 and was given a second term.
In 2003, Apostle Alex Mitala took over from Prof. Simeon Kayiwa. His leadership ended in 2013 after 10 years and he left the office peacefully.
The mantle was given to the reigning leadership of Bishop Joshua Lwere in 2013 and his term remains with a few weeks to end.
DETAILS OF LWERE’S GAME PLAN
Because he doesn’t want to leave office of General Overseer, Joshua Lwere’s plot is about taking away the right of eligible voters of the GO and vesting the power into a clique of the House of Bishops, just like it is done in the Anglican Church, and they dictate on who should be the next GO.
Because this will be a new format of electing the GO, Lwere will automatically bounce back as the General Overseer!!
According to Lwere’s strategists, the usual process of election where aspirants move around the whole country, consulting pastors and soliciting for nomination, is already banned.
The statement was signed by; Bishop Joshua Lwere (GO), Bishop Mark Wamala (GS), Bishop George Odouc (NTR), Bishop Daniel Waddimba (NPRO), Bishop Joseph Nsubuga (NM), Bishop Moses Odongo (NC), Bishop Don Tumusiime (RO Ankole), Bishop Julius Kamiza (RO Eastern), Bishop Leonard Sserwadda (RO Southern), Bishop Michael Grace Okello (RO Kigezi), Bishop Francis Gamukama (RO Rwenzori), Bishop Hudson Suubi (RO Central) and Bishop Godfrey Luwagga (RO Kampala). This is a clique fronted to bring back Lwere after the expiry of his two constitutional terms.
DEAL DETAILS
After amending the NFBPC constituition and power to elect the new GO is given to the 14 Bishops, insiders say, these Bishops will convene a meeting from where they will elect among themselves the new GO, probably Joshua Lwere who is the convener and Chairman.
For starters, Bishops are the Regional Overseers (RO) from the 14 regions making Uganda. These form the House of Bishops.
The regions are; Karamoja, Teso, Lango, Acholi, Westnile, Bunyoro, Rwenzori, Kigezi, Ankole, Buganda Southern Part (Masaka to Mutukula), Central region, Busoga, Kampala and Bukedi.
So these 14 will converge in a place, pray, and among them find the General Overseer. Lwere and his clique wants to do an episcopal election in a Fellowship, something which is contested by Pastors across the country.
“The Anglican approach in electing their leader can’t work in Pentecostal churches. For the Anglican church, it is stimulous from ground. It is the whole Anglican church,but for NFBPC, this is a Fellowship. We are People of different background, coming together with registered legal ministries. You can not hijack and impose on us a leader who isn’t of our choice.” Said one of the Pastors from Karamoja region.
In an exclusive interview with this news website, this Pastor told us, “We put our trust in you to lead us, how dare you come back and say you locked the door for us because we are too many, that is why you are seeking mandate from only the Bishops. That is wrong.”
Click here to read details about the full plot, how General Overseer is elected, qualifications of the General Overseer; JOSHUA LWERE: LEADER OF PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES REFUSES TO LEAVE OFFICE AS HIS TERM ENDS, OVER 2000 PASTORS VOW TO THROW HIM OUT – https://www.newseditor.co.ug/2022/08/joshua-lwere-leader-of-pentecostal-churches-refuses-to-leave-office-as-his-term-ends-over-2000-pastors-vow-to-throw-him-out/
In Part III of this story, we will bring you a full detailed shocking story of how Lwere and three other wise men in Church tricked millions of Balokole and registered National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches (NFBPC) found in 1990, as their personal company. Please don’t go away!
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