June 29th, 2024: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has emphasised the importance of wealth creation for families, stating, “A family must have wealth. If you have a head of the family who is not a wealth creator, we don’t refer to him as a head of the family; we instead refer to him as a vagabond.”
Speaking at the first-ever inter-religious family festival at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, President Museveni highlighted the values of a traditional African family, including fearing God, respecting ancestors, caring for family members, making wealth, producing and caring for children, respecting and obeying parents, and education.
The President also expressed gratitude to the organisers of the event, saying, “We know about homosexuals and lesbians, and we have told our friends from the west that homosexuality is a deviation from normal. Now the Western countries are trying to say that it’s not deviation but an alternative way of life, and for us, we say no, it’s not; we cannot have two ways of life.”
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, emphasised the essentiality of a family in God’s plans and purposes, stating, “God’s intention at the time of creation was for the family to be the foundation for the nurturing of children as responsible members of society from a spiritual, social, cultural, and moral perspective.”
She appealed to religious and cultural leaders to promote the coexistence of cultural and religious values, saying, “We all have a duty to purge offensive cultures from our society.”
The Global Peace Foundation honoured President Museveni and Maama Janet for championing family values, culture, and religious freedom in Africa. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, Chairman and Founder of the Global Peace Foundation, said, “The purpose of creation is family—a family of a man and a woman who are co-creating with God in building His kingdom, and that is one family under God.”
Dr. Moon thanked Ugandans for denouncing homosexuality, saying, “I was told that here in Africa, you recognise that marriage and family are between a man and a woman. That is the universal truth.”
Dr. Joseph Sserwadda, head of the Born-Again Pentecostal faith in Uganda, lauded the president for liberalising the religious sector and emphasised the importance of family values, love, and compassion. He stated, “When families are stable, they create a solid foundation for society. Everyone has the right to life and liberty. Mothers deserve special care and attention.”
The event was attended by the Vice President, H.E. Jessica Alupo, ministers, and religious and cultural leaders, among others.
