Kampala — THE controversial Rakai-based Serulanda Spiritual sect was supposed to be disbanded as far back as 1992 but it is still operational today.
The commission of inquiry set up to investigate activities of the sect learnt that 16 years ago, the Police recommended a ban on the sect and even arrested the leader.
Appearing before the probe team, Cleophas Muhatane, the commissioner of Police in charge of regional and international relations at Interpol said he had made the recommendation in 1992, when he was serving as special branch officer for Rakai and Masaka.
The recommendation accused the sect of promoting early marriages, defilement and forceful acquisition of converts' properties.
He said early marriages were encouraged by the spiritual leader Bambi Baaba, who currently lives in Virginia, USA. "Their activities were a threat to security and I made a report recommending the immediate closure of Serulanda. I am surprised that the group is still there," Muhatane said.
He also said the Serulanda Spiritual Foundation had been irregularly registered under the lands ministry instead of the internal affairs ministry, which is responsible for the registration of NGOs.
Members of the probe team included Richard Tushemereirwe, Prof. Nelson Sewankambo, Dr. Grace Sembatya and Prof. Peter Mugyenyi, Harriet Tukamushaba and George Karemera.
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Thanks to the Uganda Government's prudence in scrutinizing matters and recommendations by some government officials before taking relevant action.
Unfortunately up to this day, there are government officials who make recommendations based on personal prejudice and religious bigotry.
The example of Cleophus Muhatane's recommendation to ban the Sserulanda Spiritual Foundation far back in 1992 is a case in point.
The mentioned Foundation is a group of people from different racial, national, religious, cultural and social-political backgrounds living and working together bonded by the ageless noble principle of non-violence which is in part the basis for their lacto-vegetarian way of living.
Persons like Cleophus Muhatane are so blinded by their religious prejudice to the extent that they employ faith-based bigotry in making official government decisions.
The Sserulanda Group is perhaps the most law-abiding community where you will find the least number if any criminal offences in Rakai District.
They have tried their best to privately develop themselves and others outside of their community by building schools, a health center, the first government police post in Kabira Sun-county, the first postal services in Ndolo Parish, a primary and senior secondary schools, teh first Brick and roofing tile industry and a Guest-House and the only reference library in Kabira Sub-county.
Some of their rural developments efforts and achievements have been sabotaged or demolished by ill-wishers because of religious persecution.
This is the community that Muhatane recommended for banning by the Ugandan government. What a pity that Africans sabotage African growth and development and then ask for aid from foreign countries, when they have amidst their own individuals who are forward looking, rural-development-oriented and have the self-initiative in implementing new development projects for the benefit of all.