President Yoweri Museveni has urged parents to nurture their children by ensuring their upbringing is founded on strong values like the fear of God, honesty and discipline. He particularly observed that instilling fear of God as a foundation for the up-bringing up of children was insurance in enabling children become responsible citizens who can act as agents of change in society.
The President made the remarks yesterday during a thanks-giving service for Mr. Eriyasafu Sserwadda and his wife Ms. Midrace Sserwadda of Rwentaanga Parish, Bubaare Sub-County in Kashaari County Mbarara district. Mr. Eriyesafu Sseruwada a Parish Priest is the farther to the President’s Private Secretary, Major. Edith Nakalema.
President Museveni, who was accompanied by his wife and Karamoja Aaffair Minister, Mrs. Janet Kataaha Museveni, said that he appreciates the value of God-fearing people adding that such people had greatly helped him in the struggle to weed out criminals and the corrupt in government and in ensuring better service delivery.
He, therefore, encouraged parents not only to bring up their children in a God fearing manner only but also encourage them to join government departments and serve their country as the much required values of honesty, diligence, personal discipline and patriotism were rare commodity in society. He stressed that religious organizations can help produce these values and category of people who can act as what the President termed “social healers” of society.
“I used the Barokore network to clean up Uganda Revenue Authority and many other government departments. God-fearing people may even not know what to do but because they are honest, trustworthy and God-fearing, they help clean society and serve better”, the president said.
He commended Mr. and Mrs. Sserwadda for bringing about their children in a God-fearing manner. He urged other parents to emulate them. He said Ugandans need to borrow a leaf from the United States of America whose founding fathers emphasized purity, honesty and embraced the saving culture; the reason the US is the most prosperous nation in the world today.
He reminded Christians of the need to emulate Mr. Sserwadda’s example because, on top of his priestly work and serving God, he worked to raise money to educate his children. He also lauded Major. Edith Nakalema for being an honest officer whose track record right from the time she joined the Uganda People’s Defense Force to date, has been excellent and outstanding. He said it was for that reason the he appointed her his Private Secretary.
Mr. Museveni appealed to the people of Kashaari County to engage in modern farming and diversify their means of production to better their incomes. He said it was important for family units and religious institutions to overcome household poverty as this would be good news for Government.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya, commended the Sserwadda family for remembering to thank God and wondered why people never remember to thank their Creator upon crossing a particular landmark. He reminded the people that God works through people and implored Ugandans to thank God for using President Yoweri Museveni to bring about peace, security and development in the country. He described him as a national hero and observed that “heroes are those who sacrifice themselves for the betterment of others.”
The main celebrant at the thanks-giving service Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi reminded everyone to always thank God for all the achievements in life. He commended President Museveni for always sparing time every end of year to pray with other Ugandans and thank God. He noted that this puts the President in a category of great leaders like the Biblical King David who always found time to thank God.
Mr. and Mrs. Sserwadda said that though they had encountered several challenges like poverty in their life’s journey, they managed to overcome them because of trusting in the Lord. Mr. Sserwadda hailed the Church of Uganda which he has served for the last 47 years for the support and love extended to him and his family. He also thanked President Museveni and his wife for loving their family.
Major. Edith Nakalema and her husband, Major. Jimmy Asizua, said that they have managed to train and serve the country diligently and bring up their family because of the good foundation of their respective parents who emphasized the fear of God. They commended the President for gracing their occasion and thanked the Uganda People’s Defense Forces family for the support and opportunity given to them to serve their country