KIGO, November 6, 2026 — A meeting between the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) leadership and prominent religious leaders at Serena Kigo turned into a platform for pastors to raise concerns over social commentator Frank Gashumba's recent remarks about Uganda's Pentecostal and Born-again Christian movement.

During the National Religious Leaders Breakfast Meeting, a cross-section of pastors reportedly expressed displeasure over Gashumba's repeated criticism of Pentecostal preachers, whom he has accused of staging fake miracles, preaching prosperity gospel and exploiting their congregations for financial gain.

Gashumba's comments have triggered a public dispute with several prominent church leaders, particularly after he described some pastors as fake preachers who use religion to enrich themselves.

The controversy also featured prominently in discussions at the PLU gathering, where religious leaders challenged what they described as broad and unfair generalisations against the Pentecostal community.

In video clips from the meeting circulating on social media, Apostle Grace Lubega of Phaneroo took issue with the language Gashumba has used to describe pastors, particularly his reference to them as "miyayu", a Luganda expression meaning wild cats.

Lubega disputed the accusations directed at religious leaders, arguing that Gashumba's remarks unfairly portrayed pastors and questioning the manner in which he had been characterising them.

Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga also challenged Gashumba to identify the specific individuals he considers fake pastors rather than making sweeping accusations against the entire religious community.

Ssenyonga's position was that individuals accused of misconduct should be identified specifically instead of having all pastors grouped together.

Gashumba is himself a member of the Patriotic League of Uganda, where he holds official identification number PO 010. The number was assigned by the PLU Central Committee as part of a numbering system reflecting the seniority and order of the organisation's founding members.

Pastor Robert Kayanja, who has been among the most vocal religious leaders responding to Gashumba, also explained why he decided to publicly confront the social commentator.

Kayanja said he could no longer remain silent in the face of what he considered persistent attacks on religious institutions and other prominent Ugandans.

"The reason why I came out strongly against Gashumba was because he started in 2022. I could not be silent," Kayanja said.

He further cited Gashumba's previous criticism of the Catholic Church and the Katikkiro of Buganda, arguing that such attacks risk creating divisions within Ugandan society.

"That impunity cannot go on. It drives a wedge between the people of Uganda," he added.

The disagreement comes amid an increasingly heated public debate over the conduct of some Pentecostal ministries, the authenticity of reported miracles, church finances and accountability among religious leaders.

Gashumba has maintained that his criticism is directed at individuals he considers fake pastors and religious figures who allegedly exploit believers, rather than Christianity itself. He has previously challenged preachers claiming healing powers to demonstrate their abilities under publicly verifiable conditions.

The dispute has attracted responses from several church leaders, believers and public figures, turning the debate into a wider national conversation about religious accountability and freedom of worship.

PLU's Engagement with Religious Leaders

The meeting was convened under the emerging Patriotic League of National Religious Leaders initiative, bringing together PLU General Secretary Twalla Fadil and prominent religious figures, including Pastors Robert Kayanja, Joseph Sserwada and Jackson Ssenyonga, as well as Apostle Grace Lubega, among others.

Fadil emphasised the importance of faith in leadership, saying: "A journey led in the fear of God is a journey destined for greatness. Amen!"

The engagement comes as PLU seeks to strengthen its interaction with religious leaders, an influential constituency in Uganda's social and public affairs.