By Mulengera Reporters
The House of Prayers Ministries International’s Pastor Aloysius Bugingo has unconditionally apologized over his largely misconstrued remarks made a few days ago to the effect that he had tolerated and lived with his estranged wife Teddy Naluswa through very difficult circumstances.
In a recording that went viral on social media, Bugingo was (mis)understood to be saying he was regretting the money he spent for years buying excessive quantities of pads and cotton wool to enable Teddy adequately pad herself as she endured a prolonged spell of a fistula-like condition that lasted 10 years. He said throughout that period he lived with the mother of his four children without having sex with her.
He now says what people understood isn’t what he intended to say. That he didn’t intend to talk ill of his wife but was only referencing on a fistula-related testimony Teddy had given herself while preaching on the same House of Prayer pulpit years earlier. The Naluswa testimony was well-recorded like all things uttered on the HPMI pulpit and it has been moving around social media as people debated the latest outburst. Bugingo now says he made this remark to respond to those accusing him of not being patient with and tolerant towards his wife of 29 years.
The opportunity for Bugingo (who has been subject of a barrage of social media attacks since the controversial fistula rant) came today Saturday afternoon as he ministered to thousands of boda-boda riders for whom he organized a special weekend service.
He said as someone whose church has women as the majority members and worshippers, there is no way he could have intended to hurt or disparage women. He added that its actually not only his church in which women are the majority but all the other church fellowships.
“Having been clearly misunderstood, I take this opportunity to say from the bottom of my heart that I apologize to Teddy, my children, all women in Uganda, my mum and those females that are yet to be born. I’m sorry. I have no intention to hurt any woman,” Bugingo said as the Boda congregation members pensively listened.
He also reached out to women groups and activists who (purporting to act on Teddy’s behalf) had commenced social media efforts to raise money to buy tones of cotton wool and pads with an intention to deliver them to him for atone for Teddy’s transgressions during the 10 years of the fistula-like debacle. “I reach out to all of you who have been petitioning UCC, Parliament and other centers of authority that the cotton you want to buy for me can’t pay for the emotional pain I went through [as Teddy agonized for 10 years],” said Bugingo who was apologizing for the 2nd time since the Teddy Naluswa marital fallout started.
But appearing on NBS TV, Eng Richard Kibuka (who heads the Father’s Union at Church of Uganda’s All Saints Cathedral Nakasero) said Bugingo’s apology was lip service meant to be just a ritual to soothe the angry public opinion. Kibuka used the NBS Amasengejje platform to call on all husbands to join him Sunday afternoon for a news conference at All Saints Church where they are going to denounce Bugingo while showing solidarity with Teddy.
Quoting several scriptures (such as proverbs 22:6, Malachi 2:14 & proverbs 5:18), Kibuka claimed Bugingo had contradicted and transgressed biblical scriptures too much to the extent as Christian believers with wives and children, they can’t tolerate him anymore. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
