The Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, spoke at the All Africa Bishops Conference on Tuesday and urged participants to remember that tolerance is a biblical imperative and that those who follow Christ should not “have one minute of time wasted” by those preaching prejudice.
In speaking to the approximately 400 Anglican bishops and other guests from all over Africa, Museveni used the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate his message of overcoming differences and pursuing peace and healing.
Museveni also recalled a time in Uganda’s history when Catholics and Protestants were fighting and killing each other.
“I don’t know where they heard God wanted them to fight and kill each other,” he said, as reported by the Anglican Communion News Service.
“A civil war between those calling themselves Catholics and those calling themselves Protestants,” Museveni exclaimed. “Then there was another war between the two of them and Muslims. They were all fighting on behalf of God, they said.”
As he retold the story of the Good Samaritan, Museveni described how prejudice should never block the biblical mandate of peace and helping other human beings.
“I am always looking for the good Samaritan,” Museveni remarked. “Jesus says you shall know them by their fruits. You shall know them by their actions. Not by their words, not by their addresses, not by their titles, but by their works, by their deeds, by the products of their works.”
“We are all created in the image of God,” he added. “I don’t know whether God is black or white or Chinese, but we are created in His image – that’s what the Bible says.”
Museveni was attending the Conference to officially open the seven days of discussion, worship and training. The conference is being held in Entebbe, Uganda and is also being attended by the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams.
The aims of the conference include mobilizing the bishops to tackle obstacles that continue to keep the African continent in conflict, such as poverty, corruption, poor leadership and disease.
Interestingly enough in the light of his comments, the latter half of Museveni's tenure in power is being marked by increasing concern at his treatment of opposition parties.