President Museveni has credited the East African Revival with contributing to the moral, social and economic transformation of communities in Ankole over the past 90 years.
Museveni said the movement helped confront social problems including alcoholism, adultery, dishonesty, poor hygiene, superstition and harmful traditional practices, while encouraging education, discipline and responsible Christian living.
He was speaking at St. John’s Cathedral, Ruharo, in Mbarara City, where he attended the closing ceremony of a five-day convention marking 90 years of the East African Revival in Greater Ankole.
The convention was held under the theme, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever,” from Hebrews 13:8.
The East African Revival took root in Ankole in 1936 after spreading from Rwanda and Kigezi. The movement emphasised repentance, reconciliation, restitution, the preaching of the Word of God and practical Christian living.
Museveni described his return to Ruharo as a deeply personal experience, recalling that he first visited the cathedral compound 77 years ago.
“I want to thank the Lord because He has really favoured me. I was first here on this compound of this cathedral 77 years ago,” he said.
He recalled that his family initially resisted joining the Church of Uganda following the arrival of missionaries in Ankole in 1899.
According to Museveni, his great-grandfather and grandfathers did not join the Church, while his parents and he became members in 1947 at Kinoni.
He also recalled returning to Ankole with his parents and sister, Dr. Kajubiri, in 1949 for celebrations marking 50 years of the Church’s presence in the region.
Museveni said he later returned to the area in 1953 with his father and again in 1959 to join Junior Secondary One, when prayer formed part of their daily routine.
Museveni said the Revival played an important role in addressing social problems that had affected communities in Ankole.
“The Revival in many ways saved Ankole because it dealt with drunkenness,” he said.
He recalled visiting a brewery established by South Africans and asking how Mbarara had been identified as a major market.
He said the response was that research had shown the area had a high concentration of alcohol consumers.
Museveni also said the Revival challenged tobacco use, particularly among women, as well as adultery and promiscuity, which he linked to the spread of sexually transmitted infections and the breakdown of families.
He said the movement further challenged superstition, witchcraft, dishonesty and untrustworthiness while promoting hygiene and healthier social practices.
According to Museveni, members of the Revival encouraged communities to boil milk and water before consumption and discouraged the sharing of drinking cups and beer mugs.
“They learnt the importance of sending children to schools. This was all done by the born-agains,” he said.
Museveni welcomed the Church’s growing involvement in socio-economic development, particularly initiatives aimed at helping communities improve their livelihoods.
He cited coffee production initiatives in Ntungamo as an example of the Church’s contribution to economic development.
“I am glad that Bishop Ahimbisibwe and others are getting into socio-economic development. He has done a lot of coffee in Ntungamo there,” he said.
Museveni said religious revival should extend beyond spiritual matters and contribute to improving household incomes and community livelihoods.
He also urged residents to adopt modern farming methods while investing more in pasture development and irrigation.
The President warned communities against encroaching on wetlands and degrading water catchment areas, saying environmental destruction was threatening water availability in the region.
He cited the declining water levels of River Rwizi and warned that continued human activity in its catchment could worsen the situation.
“In Mbarara, I see you have a problem. You don’t have water. The River Rwizi does not have water,” he said.
Museveni said Uganda was increasingly obtaining water from the Kagera River in Tanzania while activities in the River Rwizi catchment continued to put pressure on local water resources.
He called for greater respect for wetlands and water sources, particularly as the region expands irrigation and modern agriculture.
“You need to do irrigation, and in order to do that, you need water. All those demands mean that we must respect the environment. People should get out of wetlands,” he said.
Museveni also backed a proposal to establish a museum dedicated to the history of the East African Revival.
He said the museum would preserve the movement’s history and document its contribution to Uganda and the wider region.
“On the issue of the Revival museum, I will take it. It is a symbol of civilization, our contribution to the human race,” he said.
He suggested that the museum could also document stories of families and couples whose lives reflected the values associated with the Revival.
Four couples who have been married for 75 years were among those attending the celebrations.
Retired Archbishop Luke Orombi, who commissioned the Revival celebrations, thanked Museveni for supporting the Church and other religious organisations.
He called on national leaders to seek God’s guidance and allow righteousness to inform their leadership.
Orombi based his message on Matthew 11:25, which records Jesus thanking the Father for revealing spiritual truths to the humble.
He described Christians as the salt of the world and the light of the earth and urged them to demonstrate their faith through their conduct.
The Bishop of Ankole Diocese, Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa, thanked Museveni for attending the closing ceremony and said the 90th anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on the movement’s contribution to the region.
Mwesigwa said the Revival had contributed to Ankole’s strong Christian identity, citing data indicating that 44.9 percent of people in the region identify as Anglican.
He nevertheless noted that the region continues to face challenges including alcohol abuse and HIV/AIDS.
The bishop called for renewed spiritual transformation and greater use of the media to promote positive social values.
He also urged Christians to rekindle the principles that characterised the early Revival.
The East African Revival emerged in the early 1930s following the meeting between British missionary Dr Joe Church and African civil servant Simeon Nsibambi.
The movement gained momentum from Gahini in Rwanda before spreading to Kigezi in 1935 and Ankole in 1936.
Historical accounts presented during the celebrations indicate that Church travelled from Gahini to Mbarara towards Christmas in 1935.
After failing to obtain spare parts to repair his vehicle, he was hosted at St James Cathedral, Ruharo. He was subsequently asked to send evangelists from Gahini to preach to clergy and evangelists in Ankole.
On January 8, 1936, evangelists from Gahini, including Blasio Kigozi, Paul Gahunde and Yosiya Kinuka, arrived in Ankole and conducted a week of prayer and preaching.
Their mission helped spark the Revival in the region.
The movement emphasised repentance, reconciliation and restitution. Followers who had wronged others were encouraged to seek forgiveness and make amends.
Although initially resisted by some clergy, civil servants and officials, the Revival gradually gained acceptance and by the 1950s had become an established part of Church life in Ankole.
Its influence eventually extended beyond spiritual life into education, health, hygiene, work ethic and community values.
Professor John Iraaka, who said he became a Christian in 1958 at about 15 years of age, also shared his experience during the celebrations.
He recalled encountering a preacher near Nile Breweries while travelling to Ruharo. The preacher spoke to him about Christ, beginning a journey that would shape his spiritual life.
Iraaka said he later lost some of his spiritual focus while studying at Ntare School and Makerere University before returning to his faith.
He said he has now spent 68 years as a Christian.
Museveni also referred to Iraaka’s testimony, saying he was surprised by his account because, while the two were students at Ntare School, he had regarded himself as the more spiritually committed of the pair.
The celebrations concluded with a photograph involving Museveni, bishops and their spouses, alongside people aged 95 and above who said they had been saved during the East African Revival of the 1930s and 1940s.
