Over the last 14 years, one particular allegation has hang over Pastor Robert Kayanja’s head like the sword of Damocles: the claim that he sodomizes young men.
The head of Rubaga Miracle Centre has always vehemently denied the charge and in virtually all instances, he has emerged victorious.
But the key question remains: Why always Pastor Kayanja?
Many of Kayanja’s supporters and people who pray from his church claim the sodomy charges are intended to soil his reputation given the power and influence he wields.
A long-serving worker at Kayanja’s church told us that many people, especially fellow pastors are jealous of Kayanja’s achievements and closeness to President Museveni.
“They set up young boys many of whom have worked here to go and accuse Pastor Kayanja of sodomizing them. They know that the act of sodomy is detested by our society so when you accuse Kayanja of this act, he will become unpopular and be isolated,” said one of Kayanja’s confidante.
Yet his accusers insist the pastor sodomizes young boys only that not many can come out given his influence and power.
“Kayanja always moves with young boys especially those who are part of his choir or security detail. Some of these have come to us and confessed that he sodomizes them,” said one city pastor who preferred to remain anonymous.
So, what is the truth behind these allegations?
Let’s start with the various cases.
2010 case
In 2010, pastors Solomon Male, Martin Ssempa, Michael Kyazze and Robert Kayiira came out and accused Kayanja of sodomizing four young boys.
The pastors reported the matter at Old Kampala Police Post and filed a case in court. The case both shook and divided the nation.
Immediately Kayanja’s team swung into action. At a press conference at his church, he denied the allegations and claimed that the pastors were out to injure his name.
“There is no grain in truth in those allegations. People who know me, who have worked with me will tell you that I can’t do such a thing,” an emotional Kayanja told journalists.
A few days later, Kayanja went to record a statement at Old Kampala Police Station. As he was getting out, he lamented about the sorry state of the station and the poor living conditions of the officers.
There and then, he announced a donation of paint which was promptly delivered the following day.
Some people have wondered: Was Kayanja trying to be magnanimous or was he trying to compromise the police, who were the investigators?
In court, the matter turned on its case. Some of the boys that the pastors had claimed had been sodomized by Kayanja flipped.
One of them, Brian Ntwatwa, claimed he was misled by the accused to accuse Kayanja.
“I regret my actions my lord and I retract my statement,” he told the Buganda Road Court.
Weeks later, the case collapsed and instead the four pastors were charged of conspiring to injure the reputation of Kayanja.
They were all found guilty and sentenced to community service. Kayanja had had the last laugh.
2013 case
Before the dust could settle, in 2013, two young men Moses Muwanguzi and Ibrahim Nsubuga, reported a case to Natete Police Station (NAT486/2013) accusing Kayanja of sodomizing them.
Muwanguzi claimed that he had been sodomized at “gun-point” by Kayanja on Friday April 6, 2012.Muwanguzi had alleged that Kayanja abducted him with the help of Gilbert Arinaitwe Bwana, the security officer who tormented Dr Kizza Besigye in 2011.
Kayanja vehemently denied the allegations and claimed that the two boys had tried to blackmail him for Shs 500 million.
It was later discovered that the pair had contacted a doctor at Mulago to get them a backdated medical report purporting they had been sodomized. They promised the doctor Shs 2 million.
Police swung into action and arrested Muwanguzi. He was later arraigned in court where he pleaded guilty to the charges of corruption, fabricating evidence and destroying evidence.
In 2016, Muwanguzi asked for forgiveness from Kayanja. Before worshippers at Rubaga Miracle Centre and accompanied by his mother, Muwanguzi said he had been misled by some pastors to taint Kayanja’s name.
2020 case
This was the subject of Kayanja’s testimony in court this week. In a trespass case before the court, tables turned when nine former workers at Mircale Centre accused of trespass at Miracle Centre instead accused Kayanja of sodomising them.
These used to work at Kayanja’s farm in Kiryandongo and were sacked after they allegedly stole some items.
Kayanja said he met the group at a church service 2017 and later employed them. When they misbehaved he says he sacked them and they started claiming he had sodomized them.
“That is not true,” Kayanja told the court referring to the sodomy allegations.
“Similar claims were said about me in 2010 and the court dismissed the matter. I am not gay.”
The question is: Why always Kayanja?
