Hundreds of born-again Christians drop their Bibles and begin singing songs hailing Uganda's long-serving President Yoweri Museveni.

[almaty 19]

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Hundreds of born-again Christians drop their Bibles and begin singing songs hailing Uganda's long-serving President Yoweri Museveni.

A pastor tells them he will only bless those who vote for the former rebel leader, and compares Museveni's rivals in Thursday's election to half-cooked food not ready to be served.

"If you deceive me and do not vote for Museveni, I will pray that you suffer," he tells the two-day prayer meeting in Kampala, before leading a chorus of "Museveni tajja genda" ("Museveni won't go" in the local Luganda tongue).

Outspoken religious leaders have weighed unashamedly into Thursday's polls -- the first multi-party ballot for 25 years in one of the world's most Christian nations.

Another pastor, Robert Kayanja, head of the country's biggest born-again church, prophesied that the next president would win 61.8 percent of votes, two candidates would pull out, and a third would die.

All five candidates seeking the key to State House have been hunting the Christian vote, but Museveni is leading the fastest-growing group: evangelical born-again churches.

Part of the reason is his wife Janet, who is a heroine to many in the movement. She has led a recent abstinence drive against HIV/ AIDS, infuriating many who believe its previous successes were based on condoms and education about the disease.

Janet, who is standing for parliament for the first time, has cited divine instruction for her candidacy and told a local newspaper she was acting on orders from above.

So is the only independent candidate challenging her husband, Abed Bwanika, as well as Peter Sematimba, a radio station boss and evangelical pastor running for Kampala mayor.

HUGE ROLE

In a nation whose memories include violence between Protestant and Catholic converts in the 1890s as Western missionaries left their mark, religion still has a huge role.

Most meetings, including one for hundreds of slightly bemused foreign election observers this week, begin with prayers. Museveni's final rally for about 30,000 supporters at a city airfield on Tuesday began with a Bible reading.

About two-thirds of Uganda's 27 million people are Christians, followed by Muslims and followers of animist, or traditional, beliefs.

It is hard to gauge how many Ugandan voters are born-again, but observers say they have political clout because they are much more vocal than other religious groups.

Ugandan evangelical churches have led loud campaigns against condoms and pornography in recent months, and 62-year-old Museveni is overwhelmingly their favorite.

He is also popular with conservative Christians in the United States. Last year he toured Uganda with a U.S evangelical television crew, who made a program, "To Uganda With Love," about the nation's blood-soaked past, and Museveni's rise to power -- hailing him as a gift from God.

Critics accuse Museveni of becoming increasingly autocratic after two decades in power, and worry some religious leaders are fuelling the former rebel's hunger to stay there.

"Most of the world's great despots at some stage claimed that God chose them," Ugandan commentator Alan Tacca wrote. "If we do not debunk and demystify the pastors in good time, they already seem poised to join (Museveni) in the crusade against a free society."

If you deceive me and do not vote for Museveni, I will pray that you suffer," he tells the two-day prayer meeting in Kampala, before leading a chorus of "Museveni tajja genda" ("Museveni won't go" in the local Luganda tongue).

what a shyster..

no, he is a 1st class certified chopf##k

[Jasman0717 8]

no, he is a 1st class certified chopf##k

[Dixie_Peach 1]

If you deceive me and do not vote for Museveni, I will pray that you suffer," he tells the two-day prayer meeting in Kampala, before leading a chorus of "Museveni tajja genda" ("Museveni won't go" in the local Luganda tongue).

what a shyster..

no, he is a 1st class certified chopf##k

Dean, I would have to agree... whatever happened to "difference of opinion"? I may believe that i am right in a lot of things... but just because i believe i am right, does not make me right. know what i mean? this man lost his conscience... and his mind... somewhere along the way. If that is what it takes to be a christian... then no thanks... i will stay where I'm at... thank you! Glad you shared this! Have a great day Bro!

[Satisfaction 1]

"Most of the world's great despots at some stage claimed that God chose them," Ugandan commentator Alan Tacca wrote. "

Sounds familiar...

[almaty 19]

If you deceive me and do not vote for Museveni, I will pray that you suffer," he tells the two-day prayer meeting in Kampala, before leading a chorus of "Museveni tajja genda" ("Museveni won't go" in the local Luganda tongue).

what a shyster..

no, he is a 1st class certified chopf##k

Dean, I would have to agree... whatever happened to "difference of opinion"? I may believe that i am right in a lot of things... but just because i believe i am right, does not make me right. know what i mean? this man lost his conscience... and his mind... somewhere along the way. If that is what it takes to be a christian... then no thanks... i will stay where I'm at... thank you! Glad you shared this! Have a great day Bro!

sister lynee, i agree, it is terrible where ever to use God...to maintain control...whether hindu, muslim, christian, jewish or other..it is just wrong...

[rclouse 0]

Something tells me Uganda's "long-serving" president won't need legitimate votes to "win" the election.

[mikeize 0]

missionaries are a scourge on the earth

[almaty 19]

Something tells me Uganda's "long-serving" president won't need legitimate votes to "win" the election.

nah...he got that cornered there

[Saddle Bronc 124]

That chopf#ck of a pastor should consult his bible at least once before making such propositions.

Daniel 2:21 And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

Basically, whether Museveni wins IS in God's hands, not the "pastor's"--and I haven't yet heard of God installing a "suggestion box" anywhere.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Something tells me Uganda's "long-serving" president won't need legitimate votes to "win" the election.

Obviously not:

Ugandans hold final poll rallies

Mr Museveni has been credited with ending war in most of Uganda

The two strongest candidates in Uganda's general elections on Thursday have been holding their final rallies.

President Yoweri Museveni warned that 12,000 army reservists had been called up to deal with any poll violence - seen as a warning to the opposition.

His main challenger Kizza Besigye is to address his supporters in the west.

These are Uganda's first multi-party elections for 25 years and Dr Besigye says the authorities have been trying to intimidate him and his supporters.

He has been arrested on charges of rape and treason. On Monday, his final campaign rally in the capital, Kampala, was cancelled after clashes between his supporters and police firing tear gas and water cannon.

Source

Ethiopia's recent "election" went down in a similar fashion. The opposition is now in jail awaiting their "trials" on treason and genocide charges. Never mind that only the government had people (including women, children and elderly) killed in brutal fashion. The treason charges will be based on the opposition running against the "legitimate" government (which is what elections are really all about but explain that to any of the idiotic tyrants). Not sure how the government would ever make a genocide case but I'm sure they'll get them convicted on those charges anyway.

They even invited international monitors who, except the Carter center which rubber stamped that scam, certified that what had taken place was nowhere near an event meeting the internationally accepted standard of an election. The "re-elected" government then blasted the observers as incompetent. Go figure. It's Africa. Different world. They should just crown whoever gets to power and be done with it. Damn the pretending. And damn these born again Christians and their priests in Uganda. If there is a final judgement, they'll suffer...

[Dixie_Peach 1]

If you deceive me and do not vote for Museveni, I will pray that you suffer," he tells the two-day prayer meeting in Kampala, before leading a chorus of "Museveni tajja genda" ("Museveni won't go" in the local Luganda tongue).

what a shyster..

no, he is a 1st class certified chopf##k

Dean, I would have to agree... whatever happened to "difference of opinion"? I may believe that i am right in a lot of things... but just because i believe i am right, does not make me right. know what i mean? this man lost his conscience... and his mind... somewhere along the way. If that is what it takes to be a christian... then no thanks... i will stay where I'm at... thank you! Glad you shared this! Have a great day Bro!

sister lynee, i agree, it is terrible where ever to use God...to maintain control...whether hindu, muslim, christian, jewish or other..it is just wrong...

Bro Dean

Egomaniacs like this give other Christians and Missionaries a bad name. 2 Timothy 2:15 says:

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

It doesn't say that we are to stretch the truth or go outside of true Moral or Spritual character... we are to rightly divide the word of truth. The golden rule is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you... not to cheat them... lie to them... use them... etc... *gak* people like this make me sick.

God looks at our hearts... and our actions... and whether we are dedicated to His purpose... not to kick people when they are down, and to bend the rules to get what we want...either morally, spiritually, ethically or legally.

Sorry guys... I didn't mean to get on my soapbox.

I just try to keep it simple... and REAL!

Blessings to all!

Lynne