Pastor Solomon Male; torching the rot in churches

Kampala, Uganda | AGNES E NANTABA | Pastor Moses Solomon Male is an outspoken critic of corruption in churches; especially by pastors and clerics who promote the gospel of manipulation and mind control. He also cares for victims of paedophilia and homosexual abuse.

Male also campaigns for greater financial accountability in churches. He says that the practice of giving land, cars or household goods to pastors in exchange for blessings, known as ‘sowing seeds of faith’, which is widespread in Uganda is not included in the churches’ accounts.

“Those are treated as personal income of the pastors,” he says.

He started on the journey close to 20 years ago in 1999, upon starting Arising for Christ (ARCH) to address the rot of religious cults, homosexuality, and sexual abuses.

Male had just converted to Christianity three years earlier and had served with several pastors in the country. He recalls surrendering his life to Christ at a time when there were factions of Pentecostal churches and pastors tracing their roots to Ghanaian Ghanaian-born former Catholic priest and self-proclaimed prophet John Obiri Yeboah. Two weeks into the salvation journey, Male was appointed a secretary to one faction led by Bishop Makumbi which to him proved to be a revelation opportunity of the dirty games of pastors.

Months later, Male joined self-proclaimed prophet Samuel Kakande and his wife Lois of Holy Church of Christ, “New Chapter” renamed The Synagogue Church of All Nations.

“They were prophets who had just returned from Europe,” said Kakande.

He would serve at the church as second in command for the next four years which according to him proved the existence of fraud in church.

Male says, “I saw people robbed of their property, healthy people manipulated into relationships with HIV positive people after falsifying tests”.

Male left that church in 1992, denouncing it as a cult. The following year, he was arrested as a result of his accusations against the church, but was later released and the case withdrawn.

Once invited to Makerere University’s famous prime time fellowship led by Pastor Martin Sempa, Male had the opportunity of sharing his lifetime experience of serving the Lord with the congregation. And at the end of the service, two young men approached him seeking his help.

“They revealed to me that they are victims of sodomy by some pastors,” said Male.

This would later mark the beginning of several other revelations from young people about being victims of homosexuality and cult by some church pastors, fellow young people and priests.

He says Arising for Christ (ARCH) aims to restore the sanctity of Christ and to rid the church of fake and selfish people who carry themselves as pastors to con the desperate and unsuspecting public. Under the organisation, Male says he has compiled a list of 300 believers who accuse born-again pastors of extortion, fraud, sex slavery and other crimes. He says he has failed to get allies in the fight.

He also started the cult awareness programme countrywide focusing on schools.

“Some pastors wanted to silence me but I vowed never to stop until the vice is stopped,” says Male, “They had no moral authority to silence me”.

In 2012, Male and five others were fined Shs1 million each and ordered to do 100 hours of community service after being convicted of conspiring to destroy Pastor Robert Kayanja’s name and profession.

But even with all the trials in the struggle, Male is not about to resign. He continuously advocates for an end to religious cults and homosexuality; especially in churches.

“Over the years I have realized so many misconceptions and mis-teachings and unfortunately the church has done nothing to correct them,” he says.

He says he is the defacto leader of the crusade against homosexuality and cults in Uganda.

“I am a pioneer in the fight against them,” he says, “I don’t think that Uganda’s religious history can be complete without Male.

“I have been foremost in shaping Uganda’s spiritual and moral history and planes”.

Male, 56, was born just a few months before Uganda secured her independence from Britain in 1962. He was raised by his mother in Ntinda Kigoowa as his parents never married due to religious differences between Muslims and Christians. He attended St Lugalama, Ntinda Primary School, Kyambogo College School and Caltec academy Makerere where he completed the advanced level of education. He is married to Justine Nanziri Male and together they have three children.