President Museveni hails East African Revival for transforming Ankole

What the report says

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni used a ceremony in Mbarara City to praise the East African Revival for shaping the moral, social and economic life of Ankole over roughly nine decades. According to Watchdog Uganda, he spoke at St. John’s Cathedral, Ruharo, during a five-day convention marking 90 years of the movement in Greater Ankole under the theme drawn from Hebrews 13:8.

Museveni said the Revival helped communities confront problems such as alcoholism, adultery, dishonesty, poor hygiene, superstition and harmful traditional practices, while encouraging education, discipline and practical Christian living. He also linked the movement to broader social change, saying it supported healthier family life and promoted habits such as boiling water and milk, reducing shared cups and mugs, and sending children to school. The report says he welcomed church involvement in income-generating work and suggested that religious renewal should also improve livelihoods.

The president also revisited personal memories of Ankole and his family’s early ties to the Church of Uganda, which missionaries introduced in the region in 1899. He backed a proposal for a museum on the East African Revival, describing it as a way to preserve the movement’s history. In the same event, he warned against wetland destruction and overuse of river catchments, saying water scarcity was becoming a concern in Mbarara and surrounding areas.

The gathering also featured remarks from government and church leaders, including Minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu and retired Archbishop Luke Orombi, who called for continued support for the Church and for leadership guided by righteousness.