Ruhanga Mukama Bisaka, the spiritual leader of the Owobushobozi faith, has praised President Museveni for what he described as the peace and stability that have enabled Ugandans to pursue social and economic development.
Bisaka, whose followers dress in white and walk barefoot, made the remarks before a large crowd during the sect’s annual Kampala Region pilgrimage at Kirombe–Nsambya in Makindye Division.
“As I welcome all our followers who have travelled long distances to be here, there is a reason why we are supporting NRM presidential candidate Museveni. He brought peace to our country. With peace, other things become secondary. We thank you, President Museveni, for peace and stability, and we shall vote for you in the 2026 presidential elections,” Bisaka said.
He dismissed opposition accusations against the NRM government as “baseless”, arguing that Museveni’s critics can speak freely because of the peace and freedom ushered in by the NRM regime, unlike in previous governments.
Bisaka acknowledged concerns about poor service delivery, including limited access to clean water, electricity, quality schools, and health facilities, but said these were secondary to the peace brought by the president when he seized power in 1986.
He urged his followers to make use of the prevailing stability, saying it had created a conducive environment for social and economic growth. Roads and other public amenities, he said, would only be useful if peace were maintained.
Bisaka thanked Museveni for granting them freedom to teach and practise their beliefs, which centre on spiritual healing at no cost. He reminded followers that his role was to heal them spiritually “through calling his name instantly” so they could receive blessings and solutions to the problems they face.
He arrived at the event in a convoy under heavy security provided by military police and the Special Forces Command, and was accompanied by aides. He thanked the faithful for attending the pilgrimage, describing it as a symbol of unity within the Owobushobozi community.
Bisaka also commended Museveni for meeting the group’s leaders and recognising what he called the sect’s contribution to social development through promoting unity across religious backgrounds under the principle of “Bumu”, or oneness.
He criticised Christian missionaries, accusing them of contributing to poverty in Africa through the introduction of the biblical calendar, which, he claimed, encouraged Africans to be idle on weekends and during religious holidays instead of working to improve their livelihoods.
“We dismiss the biblical calendar under the Owobushobozi faith because it had a selfish agenda of making Africans poor and vulnerable through celebrations such as Christmas and New Year,” he said.
The Owobushobozi faith, which is 45 years old in Uganda, has attracted followers from Kiboga, Bunyoro sub region as well as Tanzania, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
