Faith Matters

How To Break Through Religious Barriers


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  • The Word is Very Near You . . .

    The Word is Very Near You . . .

    Faith, Without the Influence of Religion

    Welcome! I’m committed to sharing something powerful with you—faith that transcends religious boundaries.

    My journey began in elementary school when I first attempted to read the Bible on my own. It wasn’t a promising start. I stumbled upon complex genealogies and Jesus’s parables that left me overwhelmed and ready to quit.

    Despite this, I maintained our family’s Sunday traditions—attending service, Easter celebrations, and Christmas gatherings. Yet the repetitive messages of Grace and Love couldn’t break through my initial barriers.

    Years later, a chance encounter with a former college associate transformed my perspective. Hearing him confidently quote scripture from memory to a stranger on a Nairobi street both amazed and inspired me. Before I could ask how he’d changed so dramatically, he simply said with a smile: “You can do it too.”

    The following weekend at his church, Pastor Don Matheny spoke words that resonated deeply: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart… Be equipped. Just go ahead and be God’s hand extended. Reach out to the poor and oppressed world. Be the ambassador they have been waiting for.”

    That moment changed everything. The mental block vanished. I discovered I could read, understand, and remember scripture without relying on others’ interpretations. What was once daunting became exciting—each reading revealing something new, even in familiar passages.

    Looking back, I realize structured religion had created my initial hurdle. The breakthrough came through a simple message about direct relationship with God and connection to humanity. This understanding transformed my life forever.

    I’m sharing my experience because I know others face similar struggles. This isn’t an invitation to join a church or religious affiliation. My motivation comes from experiencing that God is real and His Word is accessible to everyone—regardless of religious background or lack thereof.

    While religious traditions offer guidance, a personal relationship with God transcends boundaries of time and space.

    Join me as we explore fascinating insights about God and the Bible beyond conventional frameworks.

    Thank you for sharing your time with me today. I hope you’ve found inspiration in these words and will return for future discussions.

    God Bless.

  • Ehyeh

    Ehyeh

    Someone asked a question, “How do we know that Jesus was a fake prophet and is now burning in hell for eternity?”

    On a glance, this is already a sticky subject that most theologians would rather not confront. Undoubtedly, there is a lot of cynicism and contempt behind the question. There are plenty of people out there that will believe whatever it takes not to believe. However, there are enough clues in Jesus’ own words too. It’s only when we put Jesus in the middle that it makes sense.

    Steering clear of religiosity is our strategy. That means rising above socio-political and cultural confines. It also means sitting on the fence and stay right there until we find a soft landing.

    First, we begin by quoiting some of the most striking statements Jesus made about Himself as recorded in the Gospels.

    • Before Abraham was born, I am! (John 8:57)
    • I am the Door (John 10:9)
    • I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)
    • I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
    • I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
    • I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
    • I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
    • I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)

    Before we try to understand what Jesus meant by those ‘I am’ statements, let us take a peek at the following terminology.

    • The word “Gospel” explains the ministry of Jesus in the Christian New Testament (NT) part of the Bible. It is synonymous of “Injil” mentioned in Quran mentioned as (Arabic الإنجيل) 12 times in 12 verses.
    • The Quran recognizes Injil as one of the four Islamic holy books, along with the Zabur (the Psalms) and the Tawrat (the Torah).
    • The Torah is Hebrew rendition of the five Books (by Moses) to the Christian Bible part of the Old Testament (OT).

    We have just arrived at that intersection of what many refer to as the three “Abrahamic” faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Now we can try to answer that question:

    How do we know that Jesus was a fake prophet and is now burning in hell for eternity?”

    Jesus identified Himself several times in a personal pronoun ‘I am’, coupled with the present first-person singular.

    Elsewhere in scripture, we get to understand that with Jesus the ‘I am’ context is not restricted to “titles”, “roles” or “time”.

    For example. One moment the Quran (sacred scripture of Islam) refers to Jesus as “messenger” (Prophet), the next, as “Messiah” (a saviour or liberator).

    The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger – (Al-Ma’idah 5:75) . . . and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.”

    Surah An-Nisa 4:157 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

    Now then, let us return to what Jesus said in John 8:57, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”

    According to the Bible, God’s prophetic ministry to the Abrahamic family of peoples began with Moses.

    So, the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.”

    Exodus 7:1 – New King James Version (NKJV)

    The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren.”

    Deuteronomy 18:15-18 (NKJV)

    And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He (Jesus) explained to them (disciples) what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.

    Luke 24:27 (NKJV)

    Just before His ascendence to Heaven, Jesus prayed for His disciples. During this prayer He (Jesus) went a bit further by giving us a clue placing His origins outside of the natural time-zone limitations.

    And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.”

    John 17:5 (NKJV)

    Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

    John 17:24 (NKJV)

    Apparently, this invalidates the Quranic placement of Jesus as some “messenger” (prophet) of Allah. Why? Because Jesus predates Abraham, the spiritual father of the mainstream faiths. Not only that, but Abraham also predates all the other protagonists in scripture including Moses. The Abrahamic religious flavours often overlap doctrinally right there, one way or the other.

    It is also comforting to note that the Quran itself grants the faithful thereof explicit freedom to consult the original scriptural content (Torah) for clarity amid confusion.

    If you ˹O Prophet˺ are in doubt about ˹these stories˺ that We have revealed to you, then ask those who read the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be one of those who doubt.

    Surah Yunus 10:94 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

    If you have been tracking with us so far, great. We can now confidently claim some answer to the first part of the question; “How do we know that Jesus was a fake prophet. . .?” He wasn’t. Especially if we put into consideration that scholars typically date the roots of Islam to the 7th century (610 – 622 A.D), making it the latest of the three Abrahamic religions. That moment when the Muslim calendar was constituted versus Jesus’ statement in (John 8:57) retrospectively speaks volumes . . . Before Abraham was born, I am! Now this brings us to the second and last part of the question;

    “. . . and is (Jesus) now burning in hell for eternity?”

    According to the Quran, No. And here is why.

    Indeed, the wicked will be in the torment of Hell forever.

    Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:74 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

    There is no record of wickedness attributed to any Quranic “prophet” on record. This means there is no place for them in hell either, is there?

    Moreover, Islam teaches about the end-time return of Jesus from Heaven to earth upon the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (messianic figure).

    So, if hell is about eternal damnation, how else could there be hope for Jesus’ return to earth via Heaven?

    Biblical Eschatology is the theological lens that examines end-time prophetic aspects. In the NT book of Revelation, Jesus drives the point home.

    Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

    Revelation 22:13 (NKJV)

    That final ‘I Am’ right there represents the first person singular imperfective facet of the Hebrew word אֶהְיֶה‎ (Ehyeh).

    It signifies; ‘to be’ and owing to the peculiarities of Hebrew grammar means ‘I am’, ‘I was’, and ‘I will be’.

    Many times I have heard a lot of seasoned preachers out there claiming that “I AM” (Hebrew אֶהְיֶה‎) is the “name” of God. They defend their conclusions by quoting Moses’ epiphany with God at the burning bush.

    And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

    Exodus 3:14 (NKJV)

    Ehyeh asher Ehyeh is the Hebraic translation of (I am who I am) or (I am that I am). Clearly, God felt the phrase got Moses quite perplexed and simplified it for him in the next verse.

    Thus, you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

    Exodus 3:15 (NKJV)

    Finally, God crowned it all as follows:

    I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.”

    Exodus 6:2-3 (NKJV)

    The “Lord”, in both cases is the Hebrew word יהוה (YHWH), spelt Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey.

    Notice the curious change here from the Hebrew אֶהְיֶה‎ (Ehyeh) to יהוה (YHWH), with the Aleph (אֶ) replaced by the Yud (י). What does that mean exactly?

    Remember what I mentioned earlier . . .? It’s only going to make sense when we put Jesus in the middle of the picture.

    Towards the conclusion of His ministry in the earth (physical realm), the gospels widely quote Jesus’ final statements. Here is one of the most important ones in the form of prayer for His disciples:

    “Father, . . . I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world.”

    John 17:5-6 (NKJV)

    Other Bible versions phrase it slightly like this; “I have manifested your name.”

    Flipping back to (John 8:57), “Before Abraham was born, I am”, we recognize Jesus combined the “past” and “present” tense coupling in the same statement. Remember, ‘I am’ – Hebrew אֶהְיֶה‎ (Ehyeh)?

    In the Hebrew alphabet (Alef bet), the letter (אֶ) comes first, numerical value of one (1). The beginning. Pictographic meaning, ‘leader’.

    The letter (י) Yud, Yod (Yohd) is the tenth in the alef bet, numerical value of ten (10). Pictographic meaning ‘hand’ (among others).

    The Letter Vav (ו) is the sixth letter in the Hebrew alef bet, numerical value of six (6). Pictographic meaning of ‘hook’, ‘nail’, to ‘connect’.

    The overall picture here is of Jesus. He was subjected to an ancient Roman form of execution called Crucifixion. By His hands nailed on the cross, Jesus connected the past (before time began) with the present (physical realm).

    Speaking of Jesus’ capital punishment at the Roman cross, there is a lot of folks out there that maintain a mythical contention to it. In the Quran for example it says,

    . . . and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so. Even those who argue for this ˹crucifixion˺ are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.

    Surah An-Nisa 4:157 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

    Well, I give you that. But here is the thing; Those who are telling you that it is too narrow, Jesus wouldn’t possibly have done all this for you . . ., they know something you don’t. They capitalize on scripture illiteracy. Why not for one day, try to step out and see, then go and tell. Don’t judge the words of Jesus. Judge the fruit of it for yourself?

    For conciseness’ sake, let us try to reconnect with what Jesus said in John 17:5-6. “I have manifested your name . . .”

    In the eleventh book of the New Testament (NT) Bible, the Apostle Paul revealed something of colossal prophetic implications about Jesus.

    Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

    Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)

    Rabbis in their teachings usually explain the “Lord”, Hebrew יהוה (Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey) as follows:

    • היה meaning “He was.”
    • הוה meaning “He is.”
    • יהיה meaning “He will be.”

    The twenty-seventh (last) book of the New Testament (NT) Bible proclaims that Jesus will return to earth from Heaven as Messiah, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (Zechariah 14:9 | Revelation 19:11-16).

    As you can see that packs into the “past”, “present” and “future” tense manifestation.

    I can almost hear you say, ‘how come I didn’t see that before!’ Well, that is exactly where I was until I began to study scripture independent of religious interpretations. Ironically, many are conditioned to believe that scripture is the preserve of highly decorated class or individuals of a religious order to explain. That is far from the truth and closer to a dense fog of confusion.

    God wants to equip you, so you know how to decode His Word and get the answers yourself independent of the religious influence.

    Just before we close, here are some more points I would like to highlight.

    • Contrary to what certain religious factions teach, the verb “I Am” (Ehyeh) is not God’s name.
    • God used the term “I Am” (Ehyeh) to imply the infinite nature of all creation where He is sovereign (Exodus 3:14).
    • Jesus echoed the term “I Am” (Ehyeh) throughout his ministry to make manifest God’s complete plan (John 5:19 | 14:9).
    • When people use phrases such as “I am tired”, I am (x) years old”, “I am single / married”, “I am happy”, “I am so grateful”, etc., they are practically in alignment with God’s original intent when He said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; . . .” (Genesis 1:26). The Bible describes God as “Spirit” (John 4:24). He created man as a spirit embodied in flesh. Jesus came from eternity as God manifest in the earth to help man comprehend the wider picture.
    • God adopted the “I Am” (Ehyeh) concept and shared it between Himself, Jesus, and man. This by no means equates man with God. It is simply the Creator’s idea of keeping those He made in His own Image connected with Him. To those who believe Jesus becomes the mediator of this relationship (1 Timothy 2:5).
    • The great mystery of the ‘I Am (Ehyeh) of Jesus simply means, “I came to you so you can go to Him” (John 14:9). The moment Jesus goes out of the picture, scripture ceases to make sense thus, giving rise to a multitude of toxic theories.
    • Usage of the “I Am” (Ehyeh) terminology by God, Jesus, and man shouldn’t lend traction to lame doctrines such as ‘little gods’, or ‘polytheism’. The Bible is clear, “God is one”, there is no other (Deuteronomy 6:4).
    • The “Lord”, Hebrew יהוה (YHWH), is not an evolution of the term “I Am” אֶהְיֶה‎ (Ehyeh). God said, “I am the LORD; that is My name!” (Isaiah 42:8). You cannot put it any clearer than that. While as YHWH represents God’s awesome divine credentials, Ehyeh is all about the infinite nature thereof . . . “So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God. There is no other! (1 Kings 8:60).
    • Jesus’ great commission recorded in Matthew 28:19 unveils something quite interesting about God.

    Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”

    Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)

    In this context, the “Lord”, Hebrew יהוה (YHWH), is that “name” Jesus is referring to. Notice the singular, “the name” . . . It debunks the theory of the ‘trinity’ and ‘polytheism’ (Deuteronomy 6:4 | 1 Kings 8:60).

    In summary, Jesus is divine and pre-existent. It is easier to understand who God is from studying the Torah and the life of Jesus (Isaiah 53 | John 10: 30 | 14:9-11 | 20:28). Religious titles such as ‘prophet’, ‘bishop’, ‘imam’, etc do not apply. Wild imaginations of heaven or hell don’t apply. Time-zone limits do not apply either. Just like Jesus, man can trace roots back to eternity though exist in spiritual embodiment (Genesis 1:26 | Ephesians 1:4 | 2 Timothy 1:9 | John 14:3). Scripture interprets itself and not out of reach (Deuteronomy 30:14 | John 8:32).

    Online Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages

  • 60 – A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR UGANDA (Part 2)

    60 – A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR UGANDA (Part 2)

    This is a continuation of where we left off when we introduced this topic evaluating Uganda’s sixty (60) years of Independence from Britain. At this stage we are taking a detour from the social-political overview and wrapping things up on a spiritual dimension. Thank you for sticking around and I hope you will find the next part as interesting.

    What Happened To Kibuuka of Mbale’s Jawbone?

    Lubaale (singular / plural): Ranked higher than other spirits among the Baganda pantheon of gods. Legend goes that they lived as extraordinary human ancestors deified to extend their proficiency in the unseen realm. They are primarily responsible for family patronage (guardianship) and can also be invoked in community or national affairs.

    Mukasa: the most popular guardian of the marine underworld revered as the patron god of Lake Victoria, notably feminized as Nalubaale in the local dialect. Mukasa’s main shrine was located on Bubembe Island of Lake Nalubaale. The Buganda Monarch would send annual offering of mainly livestock to appease the marine deity and hope for blessings.

    Nalwanga: Mukasa’s favorite consort responsible for women fertility and welfare. Her shrine also located close to Mukasa’s main compound.

    Kibuuka Omumbaale (of Mbale): His reputation transcends Buganda regional accolades as a celestial operator of incredible militaristic prowess. Eventually, this decorated warrior was reportedly killed in action under Kabaka (King) Nakibinge’s tumultuous reign.  Kibuuka’s remains were enshrined at Mbale (Mawokota / Mpigi District) and he became the guardian god of war. His temple was desecrated (1888-1890) and the contents, including his jawbone, were put on display in a British museum at Cambridge. The project to migrate relics connected to Buganda’s war lord, Kibuuka of Mbale was reportedly facilitated by one John Roscoe, Anglican missionary to East Africa.

    According to Prof Thomas, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the University of Cambridge returned sacred artifacts to the Uganda Museum in 1961. Fast forward 2022, a bunch of those items supposedly repatriated to the Uganda Museum are tantalizingly missing.  Questions remain though, where is the missing jawbone (akaba) of Buganda’s ancient astral deity Kibuuka located today?

    What do we know about John Roscoe?

    • John Roscoe: 1861 – 1932
    • Nationality: British
    • Born In: United Kingdom
    • Education: Studied civil engineering before joining the Anglican Church Missionary Society
    • Career: Heavily echoed the Victorian notion of transforming natives under British rule.
    • 1884:  Traveled to Africa as a missionary with the Church Missionary Society.
    • 1919-1920: Led the Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa
    • Book: The Baganda – An Account of their Native Customs and Beliefs

    When Buganda Became Uganda

    • British Protectorate of Uganda – 1894–1962
    • Anthem: “God Save the King”/”Queen”
    • Capital: Entebbe
    • Legislature: The Uganda Legislative Council (LEGCO)
    Flag of the Uganda ProtectorateBuganda flag (1892)
    Uganda FlagUganda Coat Of Arms
    Current Flag of Uganda also depict a crowned crane bird against a white disc at the center symbolic of enlightenment to the world. The two yellow horizontal bands illustrate sunshine.Center piece of Uganda’s coat of arms heraldry adopted by Sir Walter Fleming Coutts (1912 – 1988), British colonial administrator and Uganda’s final Governor before Independence in 1962. Other heraldry figures on modern Uganda’s court of arms include a kob (from the goat family), a crowned crane bird (from the Gruidae family) and twin crossed spears.
    Rwanda Flag Commonwealth of Nations flag

    Flag of Rwanda also depicting yellow (orange) bar and sun rays around a globe in the far top right corner against a blue background.

    GB Commonwealth of Nations flag depicting yellow sun rays hugging the globe against a blue background.

    A picture is worth a thousand words

    A Spiritual Perspective

    • Uganda’s final British Governor Sir Walter Fleming Coutts ancestral roots trace back to the “Picts” warrior tribes of the Scottish Clan Coutts Society (Clan Farquharson). The Farquharsons clan seat located at Braemar Castle, Aberdeenshire Scotland since 1628 to this day.
    • Clan Coutts worshiped (still do) a Celtic (druid) and Anglo-Saxon pantheon of gods and goddesses.
    • LUGH/LUG: Lugh, whose name means “the shining”, is the most powerful deity of the region.
    • Lugh is associated with arts & crafts and a violent pedigree.
    • Worshiped as the sun god, Lugh symbolizes enlightenment as he brings light to the world.
    • Lugh is associated with birds (mostly ravens or crows), hounds, harps, and thunderbolts, all the while personifying the bounty of the autumn harvest. His most well-known symbol was his spear.
    • Today Lugh is still honored by certain European communities as a god of late summer storms.
    • Key Lugdunums (the fortress of Lugha or strongholds) of worship include: Carlisle (England), a town near Hadrian’s Wall in Roman Britain; Lyon, French city; Leiden, a Dutch city
    • Lugh’s Roman god equivalent is Mercury (Greek: Hermes)

    The Mystery of the Beginning

    “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)

    Hebrew (Torah): בראשית     ברא    אלהים     את    השמים   ואת   הארץ

    Literal: (The Earth and) (The Heavens) God Created In the Beginning

    Genesis: Unpacking the amazing Biblical numeric in chapter 1, Verse 1.

    Note: In Hebrew we write & read from the right side to the left side

    Spiritual Implications for Uganda

    1961-1962: Uganda’s Independence eve. Hebrew / Biblical Calendar year (5722)

    • There are 22 Hebrew letters in the alephbet (alphabet).
    • The number 22 is double eleven (2×11).
    • On the negative side, it can picture something prophetically wicked as the doubling of eleven.
    • Eleven coming after ten, which represents law and responsibility. God gave ten (10) commandments (Exodus 20:2–17 | Deuteronomy 5:6–21)
    • Eleven (11) represents the opposite, which is the irresponsibility of breaking the Law, which brings disorder and judgment.
    • In Genesis 11, men rebelled against God and built the tower of Babel. He judged them by confusing their language, resulting in chaos.
    • 11 symbolize disorder and chaos. It can also mean a concentration of disorganization (Babel).
    • The first (1st) letter in the Hebrew Bible is Beht [בְּ], Numerical value of two (2).
    • Notice the number two in (1962) and the double two in the Hebrew equivalent 5722.
    • Beht [בְּ] in this context paints a dire negative prophetic picture for Uganda right at the country’s beginning of independence life. . . Lying (forked) tongue, division, separating unto death, etc. (Wicked abomination Proverbs 6:16–19). A “genesis”. The Beginning of disorder, chaos and judgment. A troubled future. End of a peaceful era.

    A Shmita (Shemittah) Flashback on Uganda’s Recent Past

    • 1979-1980 (Hebrew 5740): Presidents Idi Amin Dada, Yusuf Lule, Godfrey Binaisa, deposed
    • 1986-1987 (Hebrew 5747): January 26, 1986 – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – Tibuhaburwa (11) took power in Kampala through violence. 33% U.S. Stock market value wiped out.

    * Please track with us towards the end for a concise meaning of Shmita (Shemittah or Sabbatical) year.

    Analysis:

    The foreign genealogical codes and heraldry (armorial) insignia remain on the national flag of modern Uganda, on currency, government property, stationary, etc. This level of loyalty and alignment is legally binding in the unseen realm which influences global events as manifested daily in the physical world we live. There is a legal path out. Re-brand. God Himself is a perfect example how to.

    But before we get to quote what God does or doesn’t say, let us emphasize a crucial point here. This has nothing to do with religious limitations or discipline. It has everything to do with a direct and clear understanding of how to get out of a sticky spiritual situation defined by; disorder, chaos, oppression, bondage, corruption and injustice.

    Buganda is not alone on anthropological disposition to traditional (guardian) spiritual entities. Every continent does.

    We make reference to the Bible because of what it is not. The Bible is the only Book that rises above religious copyright. Religion can claim thousands of ecclesiastical versions, translations and related catechism content. The Bible is the derivative of the original Hebrew (Torah) and Greek Septuagint prophetic road-map. It was revealed in ancient times on stone, clay and papyrus before the inception of conflicting religious flavors of man.

    The world’s Archaeology and Science heavyweights proclaim boldly that the Bible is a “history written in advance.” I haven’t yet found grounds to disagree.

    In 1925, Einstein thought something out aloud and one of his young acquaintances named Esther Salaman heard him. . .” I want to know how God created this world. I’m not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are just details.” – Albert Einstein.

    Einstein’s journey of probing God’s mind gathered pace a little bit earlier in 1900. God obliged. Einstein got some answers which he summarized in his famous 1905 E=mc² equation. By 1915 Einstein unveiled his groundbreaking papers on; General theory of Relativity quickly followed by the theory of Special Relativity.

    Undoubtedly, the E=mc² phenomenon emerged as a mathematical equation of Biblical proportions indeed. Einstein and his brain made headline news in the world of science and beyond. The 1900s may seem a long way off. But to this day, everything modern life takes for granted including; quantum mechanics, microwaves, nuclear fusion, the Internet, etc all tethered to this infamous thought-provoking attitude toward the Creator of the Universe.

    What else do we know about Albert Einstein? He was neither eccentric nor religious. He was just a normal young man curious about life. He was born to a middle-class German Jewish family. His parents probably home schooled him something about the Hebrew Torah quite early in life.

    The original Hebrew and Greek languages used the letters of their alphabets for numbers also. Each letter has a unique Numeric Value. Scripture abounds with complex mathematical features which are too numerous and beyond contemporary computing dimension. I hope what we have touched upon in these pages by way of illustration can help expand someone’s imagination.     

    What more can we say, that the Bible also doubles as authentic legal aid to reconcile the question of Monotheism vs Polytheism. No plans to make a sermon on everything heavenly government, at least not just yet. The idea is to try to drive the point home how Biblical (Torah) context can help break the yoke off captives in the unseen realm and make the result manifest here in the physical.

    The New King James Version (NKJV) provides some interesting judicial credentials of God in Deuteronomy 32:3-4.

    For I proclaim the name of the Lord:
    Ascribe greatness to our God.
    He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
    For all His ways are justice,
    A God of truth and without injustice;
    Righteous and upright is He
    .”

    Judiciary aside, God in the Bible (Torah) also intended for His audience to learn some key aspects of this other branch of government, the Executive. His incarnate, Jesus presides over every conceivable spiritual being in the unseen realm.

    Amplified Bible Version – Colossians 2:9-10

    For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God]. And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].

    New King James Version (NKJV) – Colossians 2:10

    . . . and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

    We avoid making reference to religion because in the “beginning”, God did not institute any. It is man’s idea in exploiting the gifts of choice, freedom and imagination from the Creator’s generosity and love.

    However, there are certain elements we can glean from a religious perspective and claim fairness.

    For example; let us start by quoting the Quran – Ayah Yunus (Jonah) 10:94

    So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who been reading the Book [revealed] before your time. The Truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be one of the doubters.” – Safi Kaskas

    A Glance Under The Hood

    The Quran is the central religious text of Islam. In the context above, “. . . the Book [revealed]”is The Torah (Hebrew) or, The Tawrat (Arabic), which is the same as the Holy Bible (Old Testament) Scriptures.

    This tells us that the Torah (Tawrat / Holy Bible), is the “Book” (Scriptures) that were in the hands of the people before Muhammad. This Book (Torah) is not a religious set of rules. It simply serves as a spiritual barometer to determine the “integrity of The Noble Quran”, according to popular Islamic scholars such as Dr. Mustafa Khattab and Sir William Muir.

    As we drive the point home, let us probe the Scriptures to understand God’s legal remedy in “Re-branding” individuals, families and nations.

    Genesis 17:5-9

    No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”

    Genesis 17:15-16

    Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”

      Genesis 35:9-11

    Then God appeared to Jacob and God said to him, “your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.

    Notice: At the end of every re-branding process, a “mighty blessing” follows . . . Here are some familiar examples.

    • Early June 2022, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced, “Turkey no longer exists. It is Türkiye.” The United Nations (UN) obliged. Erdogan then kicked into high gear a re-branding campaign he had launched the previous year. The President also ordered the re-branding of Turkish Airlines, and comprehensive measures to re-brand the entire country. Critics argue the fundamental cultural shift from the anglicized and the widely used Turkey to Türkiye is nothing but a politically motivated and unnecessary waste of financial resources. Nevertheless, the Erdogan administration feel the move is long overdue and necessary to change course, aid their efforts to revive the tanking economy and tame the sky rocketing inflation. The last time I checked, the weakened Turkish lira (TRY) to the USD graph was indeed looking promising. 
    • The official English name was changed by the country’s government from the “Union of Burma” to the “Union of Myanmar” in 1989, and still later to the “Republic of the Union of Myanmar”. This Southeast Asian country has seen a fair share of political turmoil and instability in recent years thanks to chronic military interference. However, Myanmar’s GDP data 2022 – 2023 Forecast by Trading Economics and the World Bank suggest the country is heading the right direction.
    • The “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland” continued in name until 1927 when it was renamed the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” by the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927.

    According to God, individuals, families, communities, states and nations like Uganda can do even better by getting a divorce from the Commonwealth of Nations union.

    Revelation 18:2-4

    Babylon the great is fallen . . ., and I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

    • The UK left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020. The transition period that was in place – during which nothing changed – ended on 31 December 2020. Although the UK economy grew at muted rates following Brexit, robust manufacturing and the GBP currency performance against rivals seem to paint a rosy picture ahead.

    Now then, if we flip back to the tabled images at the top and compare to the next below, it raises a bit of branding curiosity . . . . Why all the nations that make up the UK are doing just fine, without idolatry symbolism on their flags similar to the design prescribed for some former colonies, territories and protectorates of Great Britain?  

    EnglandScotlandNorthern IrelandWales
    State Flags of The United Kingdom

    Also, notice the Scandinavian or Nordic pattern for Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland bellow. Privileged British descendent nations such as; the US, Australia and New Zealand have also remodeled their national identities on flags, currency, etc to reflect a post-colonial pattern. Do they know something the rest of us don’t? Let us find out.

    SwedenFinlandDenmarkNorway
    Scandinavian Flags

    Meanwhile, Uganda and its people are stuck it seems in the rut of “Stockholm syndrome”. It is a hurting nation wholly enchanted on this humming lullaby of a monotonous dark alley. The nation’s adversary knows this impediment and exploits it to the full. We all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God once, twice, many times over. But God expects us to rise up, beat the dust off, forget the former things (past) and, move on. Unfortunately for Uganda, every October 9th becomes yet another extravagant event. Nothing more than a rallying point to rouse the demons of a stained flag and, flip back to the “beginning” of chaos instead. “

    That stained flag and cooperate unwillingness to turn back (re-brand) from the idolatrous spiritual past it represents, is too high a cost to pay for false “independence” by any standards. It is called “rebellion”. Do you remember 1962 (Hebrew 5722), 2x11? God hates rebellion with a passion.

    . . . It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]. – Amplified Bible (Hebrews 10:31).

    More than anything, this idolatrous spiritual past also demands judgement on a national level.

    I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.” – Berean Study Bible (Isaiah 42:8).

    The leadership clique at the top knows this bitter truth. You’ve heard them sarcastically quote the Bible many times. They are happy with the status quo because it works for them just fine. They are simply faithful agents exacting tribute against the masses. The unhinged political elite endeavor to resist any attempts to block their way of cashing in for enforcing the master’s bidding. The ordinary people feel increasingly crushed, weary and destroyed. Why? For lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

    The medics with the Cleveland Clinic (London SW1X) describe the condition as, “a coping mechanism to a captive or abusive situation. People develop positive feelings toward their captors or abusers over time. This condition applies to situations including child abuse, coach-athlete abuse, relationship abuse and sex trafficking. Treatment includes psychotherapy (talk therapy) and medications if needed.”

    Talk therapy at what cost? Some Ugandans that care have tried so far mostly via social media bypassing draconian local restrictions. Scores have been victimized, exiled, imprisoned and even lost lives for daring say something deemed politically too sensitive. A lot more have chosen to “save their skin”; quietly enjoy the gravy train fueled of corruption, anarchy and stagnation.

    The next questions that comes to mind include; “Where is God . . . Does God really care?” You bet He does. But God, in all His majesty and power is not given to imposing His will on anybody. Oh no He won’t, especially not on someone, or on a people busy embracing captivity by choice. God is a people God. He will go only where His people invite Him. No amount of tears moves God either. God is moved by quoting His word back to Him then back that up with doing His will.

    Uganda is not alone. Many Africans reminisce of their colonial past. Paradoxically, a lot more live as if caged in a hypnotized culture. They soak in every conceivable thing Western or European that gets pumped through the airwaves and the Internet; Sports, Music, Fashion, comedy and religiosity. But does anyone have a clue of a sinister spiritual entity pulling the puppet strings from behind those glittering scenes, logos and designer brands?

    African Pentecostal megachurches

    Africa comes across as the most religious continent of all. You find a packed church, mosque (masjid) or, a temple at almost every street corner. Trendy mega-church evangelicals claim special apostolic, prophetic, pastoral titles and miracle powers to match. Unfortunately for the tens of thousands of worshipers, it is not difficult to notice the somber mood beyond the hysterical shows. The funfair lasts only when the loud PA systems fall silent. Then, it feels like prayers just hit the brass ceiling and the deity has moved on to the next event. Contemporary so-called “Word-of-Faith” or, “Health-Wealth” ministers have mastered this trade. That is how a lot of Christians hungry for solutions get caught up in the “church tourism” spiral. There is a coded warning against this phenomenon. God cannot be mocked (Galatians 6:7).

    God says He is a righteous judge. He frowns upon idolatry.

    Deuteronomy 4:19

    And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

    That is exactly the situation Uganda (and perhaps a majority of other nations on the African continent) finds themselves in. Historic mapping and the foreign symbolism plastered on the national flag, coat of arms, government property (including Parliament), currency, stationary etc, suggest something indefensible. Guilty of sun worship by association . . . It is the worst kept secret! As the scripture says,

    Ezekiel 12:2

    Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.

    The Good News

    Please note, the start of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) falls on September 25‑27, 2022 Sunday‑Tuesday (1-2 Tishrei 5783).

    Uganda is poised to mark Independence Day on October 9, 2022 (Hebrew 5782/3).

    To be exact, Tuesday, 9 October 1962 = 11th of Tishrei, 5723. Tishrei is the seventh Hebrew month.

    The milestone is sixty (60) years since that fateful beginning in 1962 (5722). In other words, 5782 – 5722 = 60 – The same way, 5783 – 5723 = 60

    • The “Samekh” is the fifteenth letter of the Hebrew Alefbet with a numeric value of 60.
    • According to the Rabbis 60 spiritually means, “Earthly King” or ruler.
    • The Rabbis picture Samekh as “Laying Hands On” a bull, or anointing of a leader, as with ordination of priests. But place emphasis on the bull as a symbol of Gentile (non-Jewish) kings too. (Numbers 24:8)
    • The first verse of King David’s Psalm 60:1 say:

    You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking (BSB)

    OR,

    You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor (NLT)

    • Rabbis also teach that in the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) recited every morning there are 15 words and 60 letters. Typically, Priestly Blessings embody the concept of the Samekh: infinite light and power. A constant reassurance of God’s willingness to offer infinite support for His people in their hour of need.

    As for Uganda and its people, that time is NOW. God’s favor is present to dawn on Uganda again. God’s original intent was that He would be King over His people. The Lord would watch over nations on the planet earth where he commanded them to go forth and multiply. The Laws in the land would be the laws of God.

    There is a reason why Einstein’s life changing interpretation of God’s astrophysics mysteries did not originate with the Pope. God will NOT share His glory with another. Again, God has chosen the lowly and despised things of the world and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are . . . (1 Corinthians 1:28). The leaders have failed God time and time again. Hence, God has finally chosen to share his divine strategy of setting Uganda at liberty using the ordinary people under oppression and bondage.

    There is only one condition though; God wants “everyone” weary and yearning for the change to become consensual and give Him a call . . .

    Psalm 50:15

    Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

    But wait! First things first; we need to go over that concise, technical meaning of the Shmita (Shemittah or Sabbatical) year. I have prayed for you that you will not find this a daunting concept to grasp. Just take it as a little child and trust God to rub it into your understanding easily.

    Notice the abundance of seven (7) in the following bullet points . . . 

    • “Every seven (7) days since the creation of the world has been Shabbat. Every seven (7) years since the creation of the world has been the Shemittah.”
    • If the Hebrew year is divisible by seven (7), then it is a shemittah year. This year (2022), for example, is 5782. Divide 5782 by the number seven (7) produces a result of the 826th shemittah year since the creation of the world.
    • Year 2023 is 5783 on the Hebrew / Biblical Calendar. It is a Jubilee Year and a Prophetic outlook of colossal proportions.
    • 5783 begins on at nightfall on Sunday September 25, 2022. This makes it just two (2) weeks to Uganda’s Independence Day October 9.
    • Elsewhere in the world great events already happening such as the May 15-16 2022 (5782) Total Lunar Eclipse (blood moon as in Joel 2:31 | Acts 2:19-20), the devastating war in Ukraine with Russia. July 7, 2022, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made surprising (but not unexpected) announcement that he was quitting the top job at the Executive. The change triggered by unprecedented resignation en masse of over 50 top government officials within 24 hours.
    • According to (Leviticus 25:10-13, 17): the year 2022 (5782), has been a shemittah (Sabbatical) year. The Shemitah is part of a larger framework of seven (7) Shemitah (sabbatical) cycles, in which we count 49 years, and then the 50th year is the Jubilee year, as described in Leviticus.
    • “Similarly, the Jubilee is the first year of the next (7) shemittah cycle. This has been true since creation. This year (2022) is 5782, divided by 49 equals precisely 118. So year (2023) 5783 is the 118th Jubilee since the creation of the world.”

    Conclusion

    According to the Bible (Leviticus 25:13), returning land to its original owner is one of the most important functions of the Jubilee year. It says, “During this Jubilee year, you shall return, each man to his property.”

    At sundown (nightfall) on Sunday September 25, 2022 (5783), will something significant be returned to God’s people in Uganda? According to the Torah, God won’t change His mind or turn His back on Uganda (Numbers 23:19). God’s promises do not have an expiry date.

    Isaiah 55:10-11

    For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me (God) void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

    But here is the catch . . ., God is ready and willing but He wouldn’t impose anything on anyone. His people would have to demonstrate a genuine desire to; lay hold of the promise, follow His divine strategy by the Book, and see the result manifest here in the earth.

    2 Chronicles 7:14

    If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

    For Ugandan nationals and those outsiders standing with you in prayer, please go ahead and mark nightfall on Sunday September 25, 2022. Be ready and willing to usher in your (5783) jubilee breakthrough for your country as promised by God Almighty.

    This is not some kind of religious invitation to join a church club. This is much bigger than religion. It is a privileged partnership with God Himself who promised to roll back all the years that your nation has suffered (Joel 2:25). God agonizes when His people created in His image fail (Psalm 95:10–11). Failure does not bring glory to God. Defeat brings nothing but reproach to God’s image and to His Name. For His Name’s sake, God is more interested in helping His people than they really are. Being a Righteous Judge, God is however bound by His own law (The Torah). God will always intervene ONLY where His people are willing to participate according to His sovereign law.

    Unlike God’s people, the adversary is a legalist, smart and well equipped with God’s word (Torah). He uses knowledge of Scripture to full advantage. The creeps enforcing the oppression script believe it is within their rights to crush the people and, inflict the maximum damage (1 Peter 5:8 | Proverbs 26:2 | 1 Corinthians 15:56).

    May be they have a point. But God in His Word is now calling time out. Please follow the following keys to apply the naming substitution in scripture to the appropriate national spiritual interests.

    Jacob Uganda
    Israel [rebranded nation]
    Egypt Slavery
    Keys Paralleling Ancient Israel

    Numbers 23:19-24

    God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it? “Behold, I have received His command to bless [Uganda]. He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. “God has not observed wickedness in Uganda [for he is forgiven], nor has He seen trouble in the [rebranded nation] The LORD their God is with the [rebranded nation], and the shout of their King is among the people.

    God brought them out of slavery; they have the strength of a wild ox.

    For there is no enchantment or omen against Uganda, nor is there any divination against the [rebranded nation]. At the proper time it shall be said to Uganda, And to the [rebranded nation], what has God done! “Behold, a people rises up like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; He will not lie down until he devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

    I would clap to that all day long and celebrate. However, I cannot emphasize enough God’s uncompromising stance requiring nothing less than a total commitment to His divine strategy. A fervent quest for missing jawbones and other artifacts from ancient traditional pantheon of guardian spirit entities will certainly not save the day. Your enemy has already insulated themselves against all of that by corrupting cultural loyalty and usurping ancient spiritual strongholds.

    God is not against restoration of ancient cultural ruins, shrines, high palaces and altars either. God is against human depravity leading to idolatry. The projects can help to stimulate tourism tremendously and plug gaping holes for the history curriculum. Unfortunately, it is inconceivable to trust the next generation won’t succumb to the temptation of getting baited back into the waiting hands of a doomed past.

    Great, we live in the most interesting times of the ages. But it is such a pivotal moment in the history of humanity where information could reach anywhere in the world at a click of a button. It is quite so easy to be swayed light years away from the truth on a “click bait headline”. He is a jealousy God. Judgement leading yet to another round of devastating events is never too far off either. Just stay focused and be that fish that swims upstream while the rest conveniently follow the waves.

    Final Cue

    According to the Bible, the “beginning” of something “new” is always preceded by the “end” of something else. It is a simple concept of life, but very powerful. A single corn seed planted in dirt dies but in its place a stem sprouts up and the reaper takes home a bag full of grain.

    • The Israelites lived under oppression and bondage by Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40)
    • Towards the “END”, God revealed His Name to the Israelites (Exodus 6:2-3)
    • Then, God gave the Israelites a divine strategy how to “get out” (Exodus 12:1-51)
    • The Israelites called on the Name and also followed the divine strategy to the letter.
    • Egyptian oppression and bondage ended overnight, salvation and freedom for Israel began.
    • Back to Uganda; incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni revealed to the national media something new about himself after 35 years in power. The timing was just about the start of a violence-packed campaign season for the latest general elections on January 14, 2021. He added “Tibuhaburwa”, to his known names. He admitted it is not a new idea to those who knew him from childhood. But he has always kept the mystery name under wraps from the rest until, the right time? Local press fondly called him Y.K.M7 or sometimes Mu7. Now they must invest in more ink for 11 characters more. Does this ring some bell on Biblical numerology?
    • As we have already learned from Scripture, we are finally able to decode the prophetic implications of the 11 characters that make up the mystery name, “Tibuhaburwa”. Rebellion. Judgement. “The rest are just details.” – Albert Einstein

    Overview of Upcoming Hebrew (Biblical) Feasts (Holidays) 2022 (5783)

    • Rosh Hashana (Feast of Trumpets – רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה ) – Genesis 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6
      The Jewish (Hebrew) New Year 5783
      Begins sundown (sunset) Sunday, September 25, 2022
      Ends evening Tuesday, September 27, 2022
    • Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement – יום כפור) – Leviticus 16:1-34; Numbers 29:7-11
      Begins sundown (sunset) Tuesday, October 4, 2022
      Ends evening Wednesday, October 5, 2022
    • Sukkot (Booths, Feast of Tabernacles – סוכות) – Leviticus 22:26-23:44; Numbers 29:12-16
      Begins sundown (sunset) Sunday, October 9, 2022
      Ends evening Sunday, October 16, 2022
    • Hanukkah / Chanukah (festival of re-dedication – חֲנוּכָּה) – Numbers 7:1-17; John 10:22-42
      Begins sundown (sunset) Sunday, December 18, 2022
      Ends evening Monday, December 26, 2022

    Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them (John 13:17). Go ahead and begin to re-brand. Start from right where you are, with what you have. There is a role for everybody out there. Begin to confess positively about the new Uganda then sit back and watch God doing the transformation from the inside out. What you have given up on God will lift up instead. No outsider is ever going to accomplish this for Uganda. You are. At the next “bear table” talk, go tell your neighbor that hey buddy, we created problems in our own house. And what we are doing is looking at our enemies abroad to solve our own problems. No, let’s solve our problems in our own house.

    Quit calling in defeat. Think victory, not victim. Prophecy Uganda’s future and spell out loud the best days ahead. Let every stumbling block become a stepping stone. Trade in hopelessness with hope. Do not give life to negative thoughts. Let pessimism remain stillborn. Quit talking about the mountains you face. Talk to the mountains to be leveled. No matter how you feel, your situation is not permanent. It is temporary. You have not even endured anywhere near the 430 years Israel sojourned in Egypt. God’s favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may endure for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.

    Quit talking about the oppressor. Keep talking about God and what He said He will do. Mourning constantly brings reproach to God’s Name.

    The aggressor thrives on hearing you groan. More than anything be strong and courageous. Your birth certificate says you are a “word” from God (Genesis 2:26 | Psalm 139:16). No word from God will return to Him without accomplishing that which the Creator assigned before time began (Isaiah 55:10-11). You do not need a televangelist to fly in, kraal you into some stadium somewhere downtown and tell you that God told him that He will bless you if you saw a seed. God promised to bless you any way before you showed up in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5).  

    A Recap on Uganda Independence Day

    • Tuesday, 9 October 1962 (Gregorian) = 11th of Tishrei, 5723 (Hebrew)
    • Tishrei: the seventh Hebrew month in the Jewish calendar
    • Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish New Year
    • The Jewish New Year begins with Rosh Hashanah, which falls on the first day of Tishrei
    • It begins a ten day period of repentance and prayer which ends on Yom Kippur.
    • Rosh Hashanah marks the anniversary of the birthday of the world (Genesis 1:1)

    Have you taken note of those “sevens” and “elevens” involved? The term “begin” has not been left behind either. True, there is a gathering storm on the horizon. It is that type of storm where God’s presence will raise the Royal Standard to bless. It is His solemn reassurance we have all been waiting for. It is God’s Jubilee proclaimed for His people before the world began. It is His time of true liberation to set the captives free.

    God bless you, May the Lord bless the rebranded (new) Uganda.

    Enjoy new beginnings from God.

    Related links

    BBC News Africa: Uganda country profile

    Book: Thomas Pakenham – The Scramble for Africa

    Book: The Baganda; an account of their native customs and beliefs

    MAA Cambridge: Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

    Malcolm Coutts: ‘Clan Farquarson’ – CLAN COUTTS SOCIETY

    sky History: THE MOST IMPORTANT CELTIC GODS AND GODDESSES

    Ancient pages: Lugh – Mighty God Of Light, Sun And Crafts In Celtic Beliefs

    Bible Hub: Comprehensive online Scripture resource

  • 60 – A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR UGANDA

    “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I wish those are my words. I found them in a 1948 publication, “The Gathering Storm” by Cassell & Co Ltd. The author, Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) shares this first volume in an epic series depicting his Second World War memoirs.

    Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) giving the ‘V for Victory’ salute in London, after the British victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein, 10th November 1942. (Photo by Reg Speller/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    Churchill was British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 during most of the global conflict. He is largely remembered as a brilliant allied strategist and the hero of 1940. There is even a statue immortalizing him outside Parliament in Westminster, London. He is credited for inspiring the British people at their darkest hour from the brink of defeat, to the country’s finest hour of victory against Nazi German. Surprisingly Churchill was voted out of power soon in 1945 after World War Two ended. Out but not finished, this war hero became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom again between 1951 and 1955.

    In 1953 Churchill earned the coveted Nobel Prize in Literature for his raft of fascinating political historical and biographical works. Nearly half a century before Winston Churchill described Uganda as the “Pearl of Africa” in; “My African Journey” published in 1908. Did Churchill have any idea his compliments would become such a catchphrase later in local politics, tourism, brand designers, educationists, music artists, etc? I guess not, otherwise his copyright revenue would keep flowing steadily into the family cash register long after he is gone.

    Come Independence Day 60th anniversary on October 9, 2022 we ask; has the “Pearl of Africa” lived up to Winston Churchill’s fond assessment of then British Protectorate he just toured in the middle of continental Africa?

    Pre-independence economic indices by the World Bank often lined up Uganda in the same paragraph with the likes of; Australia, Chile, India, Mauritius, Turkey and the United Arab Republic (UAE), Republic of Korea (KR) and South Africa.

    Among the new post-independence nations, Uganda featured consistently as one of the best economic performers in Africa, with a very promising outlook on the world stage. Per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1965 was $111. Equivalent value of 100 in 1965 is worth a staggering $3,570.01 today (0.93 percent average inflation rate per year). All this hinged on a predominantly agricultural economy, a tiny fraction of mineral and manufacturing export and, a scarcely educated human resource of about 7.6 million sharing 75,000 square miles of land.

    Uganda GDP 1960-2022 – Data Source: World Bank

    Fast forward 2022-23, one could only imagine what would have been if Uganda could hold it steady economically. With the right policies in place to keep hyperinflation in check that kind of performance would certainly make the seven of the world’s advanced economies (G7) club take notice.

    Uganda’s population has grown almost seven times bigger compared to 1960 survey. According to Trading Economics econometric models, Uganda Population projected to trend around 48.96 Million by 2022. It is an impressive milestone indeed. But how does this new human resource capacity measure up against the country’s total income divided by its population?

    According to the World Population Review 2021-2022 report, Uganda is placed number 19 on the list of the Poorest Countries in the World. Rwanda makes it slightly higher on number 7 with Burundi topping the chart on number 1. This ranking is based upon the 2020 GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$) – World Bank.

    Both metrics, GNI and GDP per capita measure economic conditions. However, experts consider GNI a slightly more accurate metric of a country’s all-round economic snapshot.

    The FocusEconomics Magazine projection for 2025 Top 5 Poorest Countries in the World paints even a grimmer picture. Uganda takes third (3) spot with a projected USD 1,100 GDP per capita. Unless the economic slipstream changes dramatically, Rwanda is projected to slip up a place to fourth (4) with a projected: USD 1,122 GDP per capita. Mozambique could rank in above Uganda in second (2) place: USD 607 GDP per capita in 2025.

    Compared to other Sub-Sahara Africans, Uganda embraced the dawn of digital age quite early. Almost every adult in the country currently own more than one cellphone, enabled for the indispensable ‘mobile money’ local financial transaction cauldron. According to GSMA 2021 survey – The state of mobile internet connectivity in Sub-Saharan AfricaCellphone – coverage in rural Uganda has reportedly archived an astonishing 85 percent. Social media craze such as; YouTube, twitter, Facebook, TikTok, etc not the preserve of Western teenagers. Literacy among the population is on all-time high. Industry, manufacturing and tourism outstrip the 1960s levels by far. But why has the economic growth rate charted a different, often uneven trajectory to the population growth and massive benefits of the digital age?

    “The five poorest countries are all from Sub-Saharan Africa, a region which continues to be held back by problems such as institutional weakness, corruption, poor infrastructure and a lack of human capital.” – The FocusEconomics Magazine.

    Trying to contrast Uganda’s swelling 48.96 Million with the last part, “. . . a lack of human capital” would probably not hold up. Unfortunately the many thousands of graduates pumped out of Uganda’s abundant colleges and universities cannot find a job for their skills locally. Job creation mechanisms to match the population growth have remained stagnated for years. Consequently, that void has been claimed by a host of opportunistic operators. Every year, tens of thousands of brilliant Uganda graduates are flown out mainly to the Middle East, Gulf States, Turkey, Malaysia, and China. Most get coerced into accepting low pay domestic contracts against of their hard-won skillset. It is a practice that many international human rights activists and labor unions around the world now widely dismiss as modern-day slavery on an “airbus scale”.

    Kampala hypes fostering a vibrant labor market export as one of the government’s many success stories. But most economic experts argue that the brain drain that deprives local markets and services capacity to innovate and create jobs is simply not worth it. Revenue indicators on the annual foreign currency repatriations by migrant workers are just but mirage refraction to the enormous social-economic burden their families back home endure. The depressed economy is largely precipitated by insatiable corruption, massive cost of government, colossal debt servicing, greater inflation and a bigger import bill mainly from China. Consumer prices constantly pushed up by elevated commodity prices severely hindering private consumption.

    From every angle proponents try to sell it, any unbalanced labor export model would simply benefit rivals while keeping the supplier nations professionally subjugated with negligible economic benefits.

    At the end of their contracts, majority of those migrant workers would return home to the same depressed economy they left behind, in some cases even worse. Most would face an uphill task trying to fit back in the same communities they left. Some would be aged, injured and unemployable. Currently, there is no known social facility in Uganda to cover former migrant nationals of pensionable age when they need state support. Neither is there any legislative proposal to adopt something close any time soon.

    Churchill spruced up his “Pearl of Africa” phrase with adjectives like; “For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast . . .”

    Apparently, he was looking through a vacation (Safari) lens back then. But what would the next vision look like if he’d switched to a social-political lens? A, Gathering Storm?  

    Sir Edward Mutesa II, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda, became the President at Uganda’s Independence on October 9, 1962. Some sections of the infant republic’s local politicians labelled the political monarchy as arrogant and myopic. Executive Prime Minister Apollo Milton Obote angling to take advantage ousted his President in 1966. The monarch was exiled to London where he died in 1969.

    Milton Obote was overthrown by his own Army Chief, General Idi Amin in 1971. He returned to power in 1980 a year after a brutal war launched from Uganda’s southern neighbor Tanzania ousted Amin in 1979. There was a brief electioneering moment. Milton Obote lived up to Churchill’s prediction, “those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” He was forced out, again this time by the guerilla war that brought Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to power in 1986.

    The following year (1987) the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a quasi-Christian rebel group brought terror back to the north. LRA leader Joseph Kony (a former Catholic) stated their objectives. First, to overthrow the Museveni government and install an alternative that would run the country according to the Biblical Ten Commandments. Then, he’d take his turn on the national cake based in Kampala since Independence Day from Britain. The violence executed by Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) was maniacal in its brutality. The group targeted innocents, abducting children and forcing them to commit inhumane acts of brutality—often against their own families—before using them as child soldiers in its military campaign.

    While human toll is hard to calculate, during the early 2000s, local and international media sources estimate 120 to 150 people reportedly died daily as a direct result of the LRA conflict. Harsh conditions in the squalid displacement camps where many fled to avoid LRA attack also attracted a wide range of killer disease that claimed many more lives.

    The LRA left Uganda in 2006, and the millions affected by the war have since been trying to rebuild their lives after yet another generation of war. Meanwhile, poverty-related diseases, malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition continued to kill hundreds of Ugandan children every day.

    World Vision estimated some 4 percent of infants in Uganda die in their first year of life; 9 percent die before the age of 5.

    On April 2012 World Vision released a viral video phenomenon Kony 2012 that spurred millions of people around the world in the “Cover the Night” charity fundraising for the child victims of the LRA.

    In the video, World Vision issued a warning that, while now-infamous warlord Joseph Kony no longer threatens Ugandan communities, invisible killers continue to stalk the nation’s children—killers with far more reach than Kony’s army, even at its worst.

    Lolachat Sub-county, Nabilatuk District in Karamoja Sub-region, ravaged by hunger – PHOTO | SIMON PETER EMWAMU

    As the champagne bottles get dusted off for the next October 9, 2022 Independence Day national event, media reports describe apocalyptic conditions in the mineral rich Karamoja region of North-Eastern Uganda. Heart wrenching images display clusters of livestock carcasses strewn across parched savannah wasteland. Everywhere severely malnourished children clutch at their skeletal adults folks with hapless eyes sank deep in. More than half a million of the 1.2 million people are reportedly threatened by acute food and water shortages in Karamoja. Local and regional Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have been trying to help with limited resources and stifling bureaucratic interference. Stinging criticism from different corners has finally spurred on the central government and some illustrious political opposition figures to provide much needed relief. Critics argue the government has deliberately kept the region backward while busy exploiting its variety of precious minerals including limestone, marble, gold and uranium. Kampala conveniently blames insecurity from “criminal and outdated” cultural practices of cattle rustling (raiding) in the Karamoja region for hampering development efforts.

    Media reports of a devastating attack on a UPDF base in Somalia on Friday 26, May 2023 where Al-Shabaab militants claimed to have killed 137 soldiers.

    Under President Museveni, Uganda has somehow managed to freeze devastating internal conflicts and military intervention. However, systematic militarization of Police, the frequency of armed troops on streets and heavy menacing machine gun mounted armored trucks in strategic intersections is a constant reminder that perhaps trouble is not too far off. Young Uganda soldiers have been involved in other regional armed hotspots such as Southern Sudan. Since March 2007, Uganda has deployed and maintains over 5000 combat troops to war ravaged Somalia. Their deployment began as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) contingent against jihadist Al-Shabaab militants. Fifteen years later the operations crept into what became The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)

    On December 1, 2021 Uganda troops launched an open-ended operation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kampala claims their troops were invited across the frontier to help their DRC allies defeat the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group.

    Somehow, scenes of cargo planes offloading Uganda’s casualties from regional conflict zones at Entebbe International Airport no longer make headline news.

    Accordingly, it is inconceivable that ordinary Ugandans grappling with a number of domestic issues including; economic anxiety, political decadence and social depravity can rationalize celebrating Independence Day. Meanwhile, crews of preselected contractors are moving full steam ahead, effecting lucrative government hospitality deals for the event. In a normal democracy that level of indifference could help attract nothing less than political suicide. But in this part of the world, it doesn’t really matter who cast the ballot as much as who get to count the votes. Some version of a quip commonly attributed to former Soviet Union Communist tyrant Josef Stalin extolling the “power of vote counters” on state payroll.

    The existing political opposition breed has not been able to raise above populist rhetoric either. Local “beer table prattle”, ironically dismiss anything in opposition colors as nothing more than slimy operators, busy ingratiating themselves into the doldrums of compromise and selfishness. Some analysts credit the opposition dysfunction to the ominous phrase by President Museveni during the violent 2021 electioneering period, “we shall crush . . .”

    Here comes the next question. When is 60 years of Uganda’s independence not just a number? On July 9th, 2022 northern neighbor, The Republic of South Sudan celebrated its 11th birthday since that bloody separation with the Sudan. Regrettably, bouts of violence have continued to blight their journey too. It has been just over 60 years since The DRC; Uganda’s larger neighbor west gained Independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960. Rwanda, which shares borders with both Uganda and the DRC, has also controversially been linked to the protracted instability. This shaky axis and its people are living in perilous times indeed.

    With the Soviet Union relegated to the history pages and the Cold War gone, it looks like geopolitics has simply been somewhat redefining spheres of conflict. It all began with the West and former colonial masters redefining their priorities. Just like telling former allies that when you create problems in your own house go ahead and solve your problems in your own house.

    At that brief moment when the West and former colonial powers had their heads in the sand they didn’t realize that sadly there is a new kind of storm gathering on the horizon. The West’s retraction meant undermining themselves to their detriment, and of traditional allies, that would rally around then for the cause instead of getting into compromise with the rival. It is a basic law of physics that when you create a void someone or, something somewhere is going to fill that void. The advisory saw a window of opportunity to be able to entrap the prey in an untenable position of weakness.

    Environmental devastation of Lwera swamp from Chinese rice growing,  sand mining and aggressive reclamation for factories

    Soon, the Chines came looking for anyone who is willing to aide and abate their desire of conquest and dominance on the global scale. They advertised no-frills aid in megaprojects coupled on a relationship of necessity. Opportunist regimes around the world that have always loathed the idea of democracy demands being bolted on to international aid felt there has never been such a great time to cash in. They jumped on the wagon and become the tic that latched on to the victim and began pulling in many different directions.

    Twenty years don’t feel like such a long time ago. But that is what it has taken (in some cases even less) for rampaging Chines corporations and their host affiliates to perpetuate irreversible environmental ruin. From South America acres of receding jungles and heavily polluted water resource; to Central-East Africa shrinking marshland, excessive quarrying & mining, depleted fresh water fisheries, waste dumping, plastics proliferation, degraded air quality, etc.

    Defenders of the Chines CCP policy point to the glittering steel and concrete structures mushrooming in many urban centers. The pet projects are often peddled as gifts from the bottomless pot of Beijing generosity. But behind the scenes, the noose of crippling debt keeps tightening to afflict the host populations for generations to come. While majority of those populations have always relied heavily on agriculture to manage their economic fortunes, the rapidly changing eco-system means that is now out of the equation. Soon, many will wake up to the realization that their greatest assets the colonialist left behind for the locals to run have now been mortgaged for something not worth celebrating about.

    In Uganda, it is a very sensitive subject attempting to explain publicly any positives that the colonials left behind. Local politicians excel in resurrecting colonial sins wherever they can find a podium and a microphone. You can almost guess what the central theme of the President’s next Independence Day speech is going to sound like by simply looking at the last one.

    Uganda has a majority young population and millions of immigrants most who were not even born in 1986 when the current regime came with guns blazing. But they are being told the same story over again that it was the pivotal point of liberation for the nation.

    So how else does anyone get such a young and diverse people to believe in the idea that their nation could do much better for their children’s future and beyond?

    Regime snoops have picked up the local “beer table” psychobabble too. They have learned that the “sale-by” date of the “liberation” narrative has passed. They also know that one of these days someone out there will come knocking, armed with those infamous buzz lines of Churchill’s prophetic story, “The Gathering Storm”. They can tell their method is wilting away so they are setting themselves up for a grand finale. All the good students of history have to do now is to read into the regime’s grand strategic plan which is more violence.

    The best student of history from the last 60 years also knows that they cannot be baited to the same methods employed by those that have gone before them. The colonialists did not come in firing. They did not exit firing either. It all comes down to service and sacrifice hinged upon faith in the God.

    During his last visit to Uganda on February 4, 2020 as Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was heard by the press saying some nice words to his host. “I have a simple suggestion; you would want to consider Mr. President, my friend. You open an embassy in Jerusalem; I will open an embassy in Kampala. We hope to do this in the near future. In all other ways, there is a stack bond between us; you’re a man of the Bible”. President Museveni declined and hung his reasons to the unsettled Israeli territorial issues with the Palestinians.

    Just like many of his most decorated cadres, President Museveni has always quoted the Bible especially ahead of a public announcement that could spark public disquiet. When COVID-19 arrived, the President quoted Isaiah 26:20 and began a series of severe public restrictions that lasted for a larger part of two years. His time and performance at the helm in the echelons of power suggest how convenient it can be to not believe in what the Bible has to say and still have your way when quoting from it.

    For the believer looking at things from a Biblical lens, Uganda could be at the doorsteps of their Romans 5:3 moment.

    And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

    That is where Faith Triumphs in Trouble. It means the next mega change is going to be bloody in the cosmos so it doesn’t have to be in the physical. The terms of the conflict have already been settled in the courtroom of history, judgement and mercy – (Revelation 19:11 Isaiah 33:22).

    Where does this leave the unbelievers who love their country and hope for better days ahead as we all try to face down the same storm gathering on us?

    They are in the right place. Some people are looking at some sort of a national unity platform. That is their right too. Others are busy calling upon the ancient astral deities their forefathers followed. But is there something of a triumphant entry there we can glean from the churchillian quotes?

    In the next post, we are going to dive deep into some interesting Biblical technical details to help us drive home some key elements of this subject.

    Please track with us, there is so much more to come in part two (2) when you follow thisa link . . . Bless.