Ethiopia: How Missing Cult Members Fearing Doomsday Were Duped to Go Ethiopia to Meet Jesus

12 June 2023
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Kenneth Kazibwe

New details have emerged indicating that over 80 members of a cult who went missing from Uganda last month had been duped by their pastor of an impending doomsday and that they would only be spared by meeting Jesus in Ethiopia.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Mundeyi said the 80 members were last week returned to the country by Ethiopian authorities after being detained for some days.

"These had gone to Ethiopia where they believed the world was coming to an end after their pastor, Peter Simon Opolot, a former Soroti local government official asked them to fast for 40 days and that at the end of the fasting period, the world was coming to an end," Mundeyi said.

Quoting statements from the victims, they were asked by the pastor at Christ's Disciple Church to sell all their belonging in preparation for the end of the world.

".. and that as the world was coming to an end, they didn't have to remain in Uganda because this country is not one of those where Jesus would pick Christians but that they had to travel to the promised land in Ethiopia."

To prepare for the journey, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs which received them on return home, the believers were asked to fast on their way to Ethiopia before receiving Jesus Christ on the 40th day of fasting when the world was to come to an end.

"These were duped that Jesus was to end in Ethiopia to pick them and take them to heaven. Surprisingly, some of them are elite, teachers and civil servants among others. "

Arrest

According to the Internal Affairs Ministry, when the 80 members of the cult reached Ethiopia, authorities that side smelt a rat as most of them were frail .

"They were arrested and later returned to Uganda and received through our immigration offices at Nakabat and Amudat. They will be helped to reunite with their families."

Mundeyi said currently, the pastor who duped the cult members into going to Ethiopia is currently on the run as the hunt for him is still on.

The development comes on the backdrop of the recovery of over 100 bodies from mass graves in a forest in eastern Kenya, believed to be linked to a cult that allegedly encouraged its followers to starve themselves to gain salvation.

The spokesperson of the Ugandan Ministry of Internal Affairs has warned members of the public against falling prey to such cults.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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