Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Uganda, religion'

Interviews with Swedish and Ugandan creatives are the main data sources of this work, as well as my own reflections while spending eight weeks in Uganda. The purpose of this project was to compare and resonate on cultural differences between my own previous experiences and what I experienced in Uganda during my stay and how such cultural differences may affects creativity. The results show that abundance and scarcity have a direct connection to creative thinking. The creative process is dependent on a large knowledge base, but also on the ability to think outside the box. The colonization of Africa still affect the way Ugandans experience their capability to control their lives and future, and thereby the development of the country. Artistic individuals, no matter religious or not, are all experiencing spiritual, or magical, connections when creating. Religion and culture have a large impact on creativity. The creative personality is based on a complex mind of paradoxical traits. Blocked creatives can be un-blocked by learning how to nurture their artist.

The mission of the Church is essentially to build up the Body of Christ and to work for the salvation of souls. This mission pertains to all the members of Christ's faithful, namely the clergy, the religious, and the lay faithful, but each one according to their own condition and office. The focus of this study is a historical and systematic analysis of the role of the lay members of Christ's faithful in the mission of the Church in Mbarara Archdiocese (Uganda). This is done in light of the first diocesan synod of Mbarara that took place in 1986. The synod was an occasion of self reflection for the diocese and a way of seeking answers that concern its mission to the people of God so as to deepen their Christian life. The history of the Church in Uganda in general, and Mbarara in particular, testifies to the positive contribution of the lay Christian faithful in the evangelization and growth of the Church in these areas. The lay catechists and lay Christian community leaders have worked side by side with missionaries and priests since the inception of the Catholic faith in Uganda till the present day. The lay faithful's role in the mission and ministry of the Church is more noticeable in those church structures below the parish level that have infrequent visits of priests and yet there is a lively practice of the faith at these levels. The role of the lay faithful in Mbarara is not limited to manifesting Christ to others by the witness of their life in secular work and business and in the ordinary circumstances social and family life. They have been, in accordance with the norms of Church law, brought to actively participate with the clergy in the pastoral ministry of the Church in the archdiocese. The analysis of the synodal acts shows the part played by the lay faithful in the proclamation of the word of God, their participation in fostering sacramental life in their Christian communities, their role in the administration of the temporal goods of the Church. Their role in promoting the social welfare of the people of God in the Archdiocese of Mbarara is in this study shown as a major component of their mission. The dissertation shows the lay person in the mission of the Church in Mbarara as an evangelizer, catechist, Christian/spiritual leader, parent, educator, and social worker.

This research examines faith-based mediators and their usage of mediation strategies, in relation to durability of peace agreements and it is guided by the following research question; Why do some faith-based mediators succeed to aid the creation of durable peace, while others do not? In order to find an answer to this question a hypothesis, suggesting that faith-based mediators applying the fostering, rather than the forcing, strategy will be more successful, is tested. This hypothesis mirrors the causal logic, suggesting that faith-based mediators have the potential to contribute to the creation of durable peace agreements, through the usage of facilitative and formulative techniques. The methodological design makes use of tools provided by Mills Method of Difference and Structured Focused Comparison. These tools aid the analysis of faith-based mediation in Uganda and Sierra Leone. The findings indicate that the application of the fostering strategy has a positive effect in relation to the process of creating durable peace agreements. However, this positive effect comes with one condition, the faith-based mediators have to be influential in relation to the peace process.

Uganda is known for its progressive refugee rights and policy framework towards South Sudanese refugees. The refugees are hosted in long term refugee settlements within host communities in northern Uganda. By using a rights and critical development perspective, this thesis aims to compare and critically review the legal protection of refugees and host communities’ the targeted area. The study identifies several challenges in realizing the aims of the strategic framework and discusses the legal protection of refugees and citizens. The discussion is based on theories from Hannah Arendt, Seyla Benhabib and Balakrishnan Rajagopal. The theories provide rights perspectives on citizenship and global human rights norms, as well as critical perspectives on development and how the human rights discourse can be exploited to the interests of the hegemonic world order. The study is based on a critical review of legislation, the policy framework, reports, and literature. The review has been supplemented with a limited field study in a refugee settlement in northern Uganda. Along with the field study, interviews were conducted with representatives from an aid organization that operates in the area. The results of this study show that refugees’ rights are generous and in line with global human rights norms. However, the review of the legal protection shows that all rights are not respected and the thesis highlight areas where duty bearers fail to maintain the protection. Interviews and field studies also show that integration between refugees and citizens is essential for the local legal protection. The thesis concludes that lack of local perspectives from rights holders in the refugee policy may prevent integration processes in northern Uganda.
Uganda är känt för sitt generösa flyktingmottagande och omfattande rättighetsskydd för flyktingar. Den här studien syftar till att med ett rättighets- och utvecklingskritiskt perspektiv jämföra och kritiskt granska flyktingars och ugandiska medborgares rättighetsskydd i norra Uganda. För att göra det ställs frågan om hur rättighetsskyddet ser ut för flyktingar respektive medborgare, hur flyktingmottagandet påverkar medborgares rättighetsskydd samt identifierar utmaningar med flyktingmottagandet. Studien är avgränsad till att undersöka rättighetsskyddet i norra Uganda eftersom det är dessa områden som tar emot flest flyktingar i landet. Detta görs utifrån Hannah Arendt, Seyla Benhabib och Balakrishnan Rajagopals teoretiska resonemang. Dessa bidrar med rättighetsperspektiv om medborgarskap och globala människorättsnormer samt kritiska perspektiv på utveckling och hur människorättsdiskursen kan utnyttjas till den hegemoniska världsordningens intressen. Studien bygger på kritisk granskning av lagstiftning, policyn för flyktingmottagande (ReHoPE) samt rapporter och litteratur. Granskningen har kompletterats med ett begränsat fältstudium i en av norra Ugandas flyktingbosättningar samt med intervjuer från personal som arbetar med flyktingmottagande. Resultaten visar att Ugandas flyktinglagstiftning är generöst utformad och i linje med globala människorättsnormer. Granskningen av det effektiva rättighetsskyddet visar dock att samtliga rättigheter inte respekteras och jag belyser områden där skyldighetsbärare misslyckas att upprätthålla skyddet. Intervjuer och fältstudium visar att integration mellan flyktingar och medborgare är viktigt för båda grupperna och för rättighetsskyddet, men att den hindras av att riktlinjerna i flyktingpolicyn saknar lokala perspektiv från rättighetsbärare.

This thesis explores what role Pentecostalism has as an emerging actor in Uganda in terms of empowering the largely marginalised youth population. Therefore, the purpose of the thesis is to examine how Pentecostalism may contribute to youth´s participation and influence in society and, as such, the realisation of their civil rights as the sovereigns of the country. Based on two months of field research, the thesis is constituted mainly by empirical material from interviews with Pentecostal youth1 in Kampala, as well as contextualising secondary material. This material is then analysed through a theoretical framework based, mainly, on agency theory as it explores the social circumstances in which the agency of the youth is both disabled and enabled, as well as marginalisation and identity-making theory. First, it is argued that the generational gap, characterised by patronage, as well as government`s deployment of physical and psychical violence against youth has worked against the youth and deprived them of their agency. Second, it is argued that Pentecostal churches empower youth to critically reflect over their marginalised position in society, out of which as sense of agency may grow at an individual level. Finally, it is argued that as the churches establishes constructive behaviours among the church youth, this has positively contributed to their social standing in society and the realisation of their civic influence. In turn, potentially contributing also to the wider youth population´s influence, as well as the democratic development and security in Uganda.

Uppsatsen baseras på en åtta veckor lång fältstudie i Jinja, Uganda och behandlar socialt arbete med fokus på HIV-rådgivning. Syftet är att beskriva HIV- rådgivning och hur det utförs. Detta genom frågeställningar om interaktionens natur mellan klient och rådgivare utifrån en ugandisk kontext, vad respektive parter har för upplevelser av rådgivning samt vilka utmaningar som kan identifieras gällande såväl HIV- prevention som HIV- rådgivning. Studien är kvalitativ och den insamlade empirin består av semistrukturerade intervjuer med sammanlagt nio informanter, varav fyra är eller har varit aktiva rådgivare, fyra är HIV- positiva klienter som får rådgivning och en är aktiv både som rådgivare och som klient. Vi har valt att spegla vår empiri mot teorier om stigma, sexuella skript och pastoralmakt. Ur resultatdelen har det mellan klienter och rådgivare framträtt en bild som visar på en samstämmighet såväl som diskrepans gällande relationens natur och innehåll såväl som utmaningar kopplat till HIV- rådgivning och preventionsarbete. Relationen bygger på vänskap såväl som professionalism och det tycks finnas en förväntan på rådgivaren som räddare som understöds av såväl klienterna som rådgivarna själva. Det framkommer att stigma fortfarande framträder kopplat till HIV, men i mindre utsträckning än förut och i högre utsträckning bland män och barn än bland kvinnor. Sedan ARV, bromsmediciner, kommit HIV- smittade till del, talar de klienter vi intervjuat om hur HIV numera inte behöver ses som värre än vilken annan sjukdom som helst, vilket rådgivarna menar på också är en risk, då minskad respekt för sjukdomen också kan leda till ett ökat riskbeteende. I de rådgivande samtalen låg fokus på beteendeförändringar baserade på ett hälsofrämjande tänkande och handlande, så kallat positive living. Vidare framgår att religionens framträdande roll i det ugandiska samhället även tar sin plats genom ord eller handling i mötet mellan rådgivare och klient.
This study is based on a minor field study that took place during eight weeks in Jinja, Uganda. It discusses the aspect of social work in HIV counselling, with the object to describe HIV counselling and how it is conducted. The study attempts to answer questions about the nature of the interaction between the client and the counsellor from a Ugandan context, what experiences that lies between them, as well as what challenges can be identified when it comes to HIV prevention as well as HIV counselling. The study’s research strategy has a qualitative approach and the collected data is derived from semi-structural interviews with four HIV positive women who receive counselling, four counsellors and one woman who is both a client and a counsellor. We have chosen to understand our empirical findings through theories of stigma, sexual scripts and pastoral power. From our findings, we were able to conclude that there is consensus as well as discrepancies between the clients’ and the counsellors’ perceptions of their relationship, the counselling content as well as the challenges that is connected with HIV counselling. The relationship is the result of an intertwining of friendship and professionalism and there seem to be an expectation on the counsellor as a savior, which is supported by both clients and counsellors. It appears that stigma still appears in relation to HIV, but to a lesser extent than before and more so among men and children than among women. Since the introduction of ARV’s, many of our interviewed clients seem to view HIV as any other disease, which is regarded as something of a risk by many of our interviewed counsellors, as it may lead to increased risky behavior when it comes to HIV transmission. In the counselling session, the focus seems to be on behavioral change through the concept of positive living, which revolves around the idea of physical and mental well-being. Furthermore, religion has a great impact on the Ugandan society, which can be seen in the words and actions in the meeting between counsellor and client.

A new law regulating homosexual relations was in the year of 2009 introduced in the parliament of Uganda, resulting in wide condemnation from the west. The bill proposed harsh penalties for homosexual behavior and gay advocacy, including, but not limited to, the death penalty and life imprisonment. Despite the damning critique from certain western countries the law garnered strong support among Ugandan nationals. To understand this discrepansy my thesis sets out to comprehend the reasoning behind the bill’s national popularity. Is it possible to make sense of a law that from a liberal western perspective could be considered nonsensical? To develop an understanding of the motivations behind the bill, this paper aims to identify and analyze frequently used arguments in support of the ”anti-gay law”. This analysis is primarily achieved through the implementation of a postcolonial perspective containing terminology inspired by Frantz Fanon, and Kristen Cheneys discussions regarding ”postcolonial amnesia”. More general aspects associated with postcolonial theory are also included and a ”liberal western perspective” is additionally implemented to empahasize the contribution of the postcolonial perspective. The study identified four different types of arguments that were commonly used in support of the bill. The first stated that homosexuality is a western phenomenon contrary to African values, the second claimed that homosexuality is a threat to the family, the third that it’s a sin in conflict with religious values, and it was lastly argued that homosexuality doesn’t qualify as one of the human rights. All of the aforementioned arguments were shown to be more comprehensible through the implementation of a postcolonial perspective. The branding of homosexuality as western and ”un-African” was for example demonstrated as explainable when viewed as a reaction to western hegemony and historical colonial exploitation, as well as a drive to create and uphold an independent national identity. A similar pattern is also identified in connection with the other arguments, and is primarily established through the reasonings of Frantz Fanon. Kristen Cheneys use of ”postcolonial amnesia” is also implemented to make sense of glaring paradoxes in the arguments supporting the law.

This study investigates the complications raised in teaching a confessional Religious Education in a multi-religious context pertaining in Ugandan religiously founded public schools, government and private founded schools. The thesis contends that the introduction of Islam, Anglican and Roman Catholic Christian religious traditions in Uganda not only presented alternative religious systems to the existing African traditional religion but ushered in an era of competition for converts that subsequently led to religious conflict. The thesis also submits the view that the missionary aim of formal education in Uganda led to the creation, not only of a denominational, but a divisive educational system. While the study commends the colonial government and the first independent government's efforts towards establishing a nondenominational educational system, it suggests that their failure to address the controversial questions raised by the nature of RE at the time was a missed opportunity. The study probes the current syllabuses, aims and content of CRE and IRE for secondary and primary schools and suggests that their main intention of promoting spiritual growth of students is inappropriate for implementation in the multi-religious schools. The thesis questions the government's proposed exclusion of RE from the education curriculum and its replacement with Moral Education. It suggests that while Moral Education could be a subject on its own, Religious Education needs to be maintained but re-designed to address the multi-religious context. It presents a multi-faith RE as the ideal format of teaching about religion.

This study documents a critical evaluation of the religious education curriculum used in Uganda's secondary schools. The study focused on goals and objectives, methods, content, and public perception of religious education instruction. The evaluation was based on a qualitative investigation that employed three methods to collect data: document analysis, classroom observation, and interviews. The investigation was guided by a series of research questions that included the following: What are the overall goals and objectives of religious education instruction? What are the attitudes from the community regarding religious education? What are the roles of religious leaders during implementation of this curriculum? How does the curriculum prepare students for the pluralistic nature of the society? What qualifications and training do the teachers have? What are the politics involved in curriculum implementation? What is the philosophy of religious education instruction as defined by policy makers and how is it implemented?

Bibliography: pages 272-292.
The central theme of this doctoral thesis is the Attitude of the Anglican Church of Uganda to the New Religious Movements and in particular to the Bacwezi-Bashomi in south-western Uganda, 1960-1995. Since the 1960's Uganda has been witnessing a wave of new religious movements stressing healing and exorcism and to date are attracting a large following. Although the literature on these movements is still scanty with no attempt having been made in the area of academics, the researcher investigated this topic at some considerable length (assisted by six research assistants) using primary and secondary sources a task he has carried out with a sense of satisfaction. In the area of scholarship, he has published articles in Occasional Research Papers - Makerere University (Volume 14); African Journal of Theology (1991): 54-62; Asian Journal of Theology (1991): 136-148 and African Journal of Evangelical theology (1993): 18-40. Currently, he is a lecturer at Makerere University. This thesis is developed in six chapters with intent to establish whether the Bacwezi-Bashomi Movement is a challenge to Christianity or its followers are from the Roman Catholic Church or it is a pseudo-religious group or an independent church. It highlights that apart from the Balokole (born again Christians), abazukufu (the reawakened Christians), Pentecostal preachers and the charismatic renewal believers; many Christians who hardly take their faith and baptismal calling seriously claim that Christianity has failed to provide solutions to their chaotic existence, economic and socio-religious issues, hence the rush to these new religious movements and in particular to the Bacwezi-Bashomi. Defection is caused by the inability to grasp seriously the biblical teachings and the failure to get down-to-earth philosophical explanations. The study then discusses the historical growth of the Movement, highlights the attitudes of the mainline churches and concludes with recommendations and vision of the Anglican Church in Uganda. Now, the mainline churches are urged to foster the Christian faith that addresses the contemporary issues which engulf the indigenous people; to take the traditional healing and the indigenous medicine seriously; and to enhance a fruitful dialogue with the new religious movements, nominal Christians, abalokole and the followers of the Bacwezi-Bashomi Movement leading to mutual respect and understanding. Lastly, owing to the scarcity of in-depth academic studies, there is a need for serious research by church historians, sociologists, missiologists and pastors, hence the justification for this thesis.

Since 1996, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has waged a campaign of terror in Uganda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has resulted in a number of fatalities and continues to threaten the security of the region. From its inception, the objective of the ADF has been to overthrow the Ugandan government and establish an Islamic state governed by a Salafi interpretation of Islam. This study seeks to document the history of the ADF and to locate its position within contemporary Salafi debates. It does so by answering the following questions: (1) what do we know about the ADF? (2) How did the ADF emerge in Uganda? (3) Is the ADF Jihadi-Salafi movement or local political movement in disguise? This study utilises interviews, as well as archival and ethnographic approaches to research. Findings suggest that the ADF is a Jihadi-Salafi militant movement, which was originally established under the name Salafi Jihad Council (SaJiCo). However, the initial failure to stand alone and the Busitema defeat forced them to join other non-Muslim rebel groups to form the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). In addition, this study confirmed that, persuasive rhetoric of ADF leader, Jamilu Mukulu in addition to a long history of economic, social and political marginalisation of Muslims in Uganda by colonial and post-colonial governments, played a significant role in the creation and recruitment strategies for the Movement.

L’étude de cas qui mobilise la majeure partie de ma thèse se penche sur une mission de la Church Missionary Society, société missionnaire anglicane, au Buganda, royaume situé au nord du lac Victoria. La thèse revient d’abord sur les raisons qui ont poussé la CMS à s’établir dans cette région vierge de tout occupant européen, et sur les conditions de cette installation, débutée en 1876. Entre 1876 et 1900, la mission connut de nombreux chamboulements, qui seront traités à la lumière de la correspondance des missionnaires de la CMS sur le terrain, de leurs journaux personnels et productions visuelles : les interactions plus ou moins fructueuses des missionnaires avec les autochtones ; le succès de la mission en termes d’influence religieuse ; le déploiement de nouvelles stations au sein du royaume et dans les royaumes voisins ; l’installation de missionnaires catholiques français dans le royaume à partir de 1879 ; l’arrivée des Britanniques dans la région par le biais de l’Imperial British East Africa Company, et la mise sous protectorat de la région à partir de 1894. Tous ces éléments seront passés au crible, ainsi que la façon dont, en métropole, ils furent l’objet de différentes publications, circulations, et donc réceptions. Les ramifications tant politiques que linguistiques et scientifiques de l’entreprise missionnaire anglicane au Buganda sont au cœur de cette étude. Cette thèse met également au jour les liens tissés entre la mission du Buganda et sa direction en métropole (la maison mère à Londres, les soutiens de la mission en amont, les lecteurs et adhérents de la société, et le lectorat britannique de la presse périodique de façon plus générale). D’autre part, il s’agit également de montrer par le biais de cette étude de cas que l’entreprise missionnaire britannique était intégrée dans un projet plus vaste de réforme et de salut global (et non seulement local) de la Grande-Bretagne et de son empire : pour ce faire, je fais appel aux archives d’une société missionnaire œuvrant en métropole, dans la capitale, la London City Mission. La mise en perspective de ces deux types de sociétés missionnaires pourra alors nous éclairer sur les liens que les Britanniques créaient et imaginaient entre la Grande-Bretagne et son empire, à la lumière des pratiques religieuses et culturelles de ses habitants
This thesis focuses on the Church Missionary Society’s mission to Buganda between 1875 and 1900. Buganda was the most powerful kingdom of the Great Lakes region during the last quarter of the 19th century. This study retraces what motivated an Anglican missionary society to send agents to this particular area, which had not been claimed or colonized by any European power at the time of their arrival. Between 1875 and 1900, the mission underwent several changes, which this thesis examines in the light of the missionaries’ letters, journals, drawings and photographs : the interactions between the missionaries and the natives they wished to convert (the kings of Buganda for instance) ; the success of the mission itself and its expansion, mainly through the dissemination of a Bible in luganda by Ganda catechists ; the arrival of rival Catholic missionaries in the capital of Buganda from 1879 onwards ; the arrival of the Imperial British East Africa Company and the creation of the Uganda Protectorate in 1894. This thesis analyses how those changes were dealt with by the missionaries in the field, but also how they were perceived and received by the CMS’s executive committees, the supporters of the mission and the general public in Britain. Studying the political, linguistic and scientific ramifications of the mission in the metropole helps us to understand the manifold impacts that missions had in the late-Victorian era. The way the missionary narrative of the Buganda mission was shaped by the editorial committee of the CMS is also analysed so as to shed light on the strategies at work in London to promote the missionary cause throughout Britain.The aim of this thesis is to take into account what happened in the field and in the metropole in the same frame of analysis, in order to reveal the connected and networked nature of the British missionary enterprise. The example of the Buganda mission will help us to understand how Victorian Evangelicals perceived the salvation and reform of society as a global project. Confronting the CMS sources with archives from a different type of missionary organization – in that case the London City Mission – enables the historian to reveal the ties that linked the home missionary project to the overseas missionary enterprise. This thesis shows that the perceived rivalries between both mission fields were in fact complemented by a strong belief in the connected nature of the missionary enterprise, in terms of staff and support, reprensentations, evangelizing strategies and promotion tools

Ancestors represent a more enduring reality in the African world-view than deities, other non-human spirits, or amulets and charms. This thesis argues that many Baganda have beliefs in ancestors. Much of the knowledge on ancestors in Buganda is still confined to oral tradition. It can be useful to have some material on the ancestors in a written form. The time will come when those who know about the subject will die and much of the information will disappear with them for ever. Early European writers on Baganda people touched the topic of ancestors only briefly in their texts, without reaching great depth. The subject is given little space in their works. Hence, they missed some major and dynamic aspects of the Baganda religion and beliefs. Another point is that there are many changes that have taken place and influenced Baganda's beliefs since these writers produced their works. By highlighting those changes, this thesis tries to give a clear picture of what has transpired between the period when those early writers wrote and today (1996), as far as such beliefs are concerned. The early part of the thesis defines the word ancestor and other key concepts. It gives a general analysis of ancestors in Africa. Then it moves on to consider ancestors and the ancestral cult in Buganda. The thesis describes the earliest accounts of the cult of ancestors in the pre-colonial period after which it looks at ancestral observances. The effects of christianity, Islam, and political independence on Baganda ancestral beliefs are discussed. The final stage of the study covers my findings from fieldwork. This includes statements from some of the informants I interviewed during fieldwork and my own conclusions regarding change and the contemporary situation. In this study, I have reflected on the perspectives of recent academic findings in order to facilitate comprehensive descriptions, analysis, discussion and careful interpretation of the beliefs under investigation. The ability of the Baganda people to retain their traditional beliefs along with basic Christian, Muslim and modern beliefs has been described and discussed.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.

Uganda’s tourism industry is a major source of foreign exchange income, creating much-needed employment and development opportunities. This study provided an overview of motivations and characteristics of non-resident visitors to Uganda. This exploratory research was conducted in Uganda during July and August 2011. Information obtained includes the popular activities and places visited, visitor expenditures, demographic information, motivation for visiting Uganda, and motivation for traveling and volunteering in general. This study concluded that the majority of non-resident visitors leaving Uganda were volunteers, with a majority being religious volunteers who did not represent a sustainable tourism market within Uganda. Data provided in this study can allow tourism stakeholders to draw conclusions on what is needed in Uganda to help the tourism sector to continue growing more sustainably and to remain competitive amongst other East African tourist destinations.

This thesis is aimed at making a contextual interpretation of Luwum’s model of non-violent resistance and church-state relations in contemporary Uganda. The thesis reconstructs Archbishop Luwum’s life and explores the roots and the formative factors that shaped his thoughts and actions. It notes that the influence of the Acholi culture, early school life, the early Ugandan martyrs, Balokole theology, his theological studies, his ecclesiastical position, his parents and the writings and works of Martin Luther King Jr. shaped and refined his worldview. All of these factors provided grounding for his political and theological articulations of non-violent resistance and church-state relations. The thesis argues the principles of non-violent resistance are in harmony with the Christian understanding of shalom. Thus the church which upholds the principle of justice, love, truth and suffering will find non-violent resistance models an important tool for fighting injustices. With regard to injustice in the Ugandan context the thesis identifies and examined Amin’s ghosts such as the politics of dominance, corruption; a militaristic tradition and a culture of guns, religious conflicts and other problems which have continued to haunt the current Uganda. All of these can be confronted by the church using non-violence resistance model. The study argues that if this is going to be effective, the Anglican Church needs to embrace a pastoral hermeneutic based on non-violence resistance which can enable the church to be involved in social transformation without being co-opted by the state. In view of this, the study finds that through the principles of the non-violence resistance model the church can advocate for reconciliation and for the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to facilitate healing, confessing the past atrocities, identifying of victims and model of non-violence. To make recommendations for possible reparation, and processing the application for amnesty and indemnity so as to prevent the future human rights violations. This will be the beginning of fostering reconciliation in Uganda and establishing justice using non-violent means.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

This study is designed to assess the causes and the effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS on women's spirituality. A case study of Mpererwe Township in Kampala, Uganda was chosen because this researcher has been staying in this township now for 7 years; and has seen most women experiencing difficulties in their daily lives. Poverty and HIV/AIDS among women of Mpererwe Township is a much-needed area of study because the majority of women's lives and their contribution to development have been hampered by economic, religious, political, social and cultural structures. However, all in all, the purpose of this social analysis was first, to identify the factors that render Mpererwe women to be vulnerable to ill situations that pave the way to poverty and HIV/AIDS conditions. Then thereafter, to suggest strategies that may transform the physical, political, religious, economic and social life of women in Mpererwe Township.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

In recent times, there are some indications which suggest an attempt to relegate the traditional or pre-Christian notion of Nyorjmo to the background in the face of recent Christian expansion within the Ga community. This may be observed basically in two forms. First is the attitude and thinking which attempt to separate Nyorjmo, who is considered a holy God, totally from the creation, considered unholy. This view suggests that Nyorjmo is holy and therefore his name cannot be attached to any aspect of the creation which is considered corrupted with sin and evil. In this regard, a distinction is thus made between Nyorjmo, the Supreme Being, and nyorjmo, rain. A new word nugbo,1 literally 'water stranger' or 'foreign water' has therefore emerged and is now being used for rain by some Ga. Secondly, there is the assumption, especially among some Ga Christians, that hitherto, the Ga did not know about God and that it was Christianity and the proclamation of the Christian message that introduced the knowledge of God into the Ga religious culture. These views are, however, contrary to the thoughts of the traditional Ga. The pre- Christian notion of Nyoymo is that of a Supreme Being, who is not far removed from creation but deeply involved in its daily activities. Thus one finds the name of Nyorjmo attached to some elements within the creation, as the configurations of Nyoymo2 indicate. Again, contrary to the views held by some Ga Christians, oral and early written sources indicate that the notion of Nyorjmo was well established within the Ga religious and social life before the coming of Christianity. However, one realises that with the influence of Christianity and Bible translation, the concept Nyorjmo has expanded and assumed a new meaning to become the Christian God of the Bible, 'the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' 1 E. T. A. Abbey, Kedzi Afo Yordan (Gbele Ke Yarafeemo), (Accra: Bureau of Ghana Languages, 1968), p 37. 2 Johanness Zimmermann, A Grammatical Sketch of the Akra - or Ga -Language and some Specimen of it from the mouth of the Natives, (Stuttgert: J. F. Steinkopf, 1858), pp 243-244. See also M. E. Kropp Dakubu, 'Linguistic Pre-History and Historical Reconstruction: the Ga-Adangme Migrations' in Transaction of the Historical Society of Ghana, Vol. XIII (i), (Legon, June 1972), p 119. This research attempts to investigate the 'development' of Nyorjmo as a religious concept from its pre-Christian usage to the present. It looks at how Nyorjmo was recognised in the traditional religious life. This is done by analysing the general historical and religious backgrounds of the Ga people, focusing on key elements within the social, political, economic and religious settings. The work further assesses the impact of Christian influence on Ga culture, especially in the area of Bible translation, and also observes how the concept has gained a new meaning as a result of this engagement. The researcher concludes by exploring some of the implications raised in the work and attempts some suggestions on how Ga Christian theology may be developed to address these concerns.
Ye bei nee amli ni Kristojamo ebahe shi ni loolo le aabo moderj ni agbe Kristojamo ashwa ye Ga shikpoji ano le, tamo noni hie miihe akpa boni wonuo wiemo 'Nyonmo' le shishi wohaa ye wo blema shihile mli aloo dani Kristojamo le bashe bie. Enejeo kpofann ye gbei srotoi enyo ano. Klerjklen le, tamo noni ye wo nifeemoi ke wo susumoi amli le wokaa ake woten Nyonmo he nfoniri ko. Noji ake wonaa ake eye Kronkron ni nohewo le esda ni ake egbei bataa adeboo noko he kwraa ejaake nofeeno ni yoo je le mli le kpa ye he ni ehe ewo muji ke esha. Enehewo le mei komei taoo ni amegbla Nyonmo ni ji Tse Ofe le ke nyonmo ni neo le ten. Arjoo nyonmo ni neo le ake nugbo.1 Emli jalemo ji nu ni ebato gbo. Nugbo nee ji gbei ni nmenerjmene le Gamei komei ketseo nyonmo ni neo nee. No ni ji enyo le, Ga Kristofoi komei susuo ake Gamei lee Nyonmo ye blema bei le amli. Ene le eji sane ni naa wa ni yoo ahuntoo. Ye neke mei nee asusumo naa le, Kristojamo ke Nyonmo wiemo le gbee ke shwamo le ji noni ha Gamei na le ake Nyonmo ko ye, ye amejamo ke shihile mli. Shi moy neke susumo nee, jee Ga shikweebii asusumo ni. Eke noni amele ye Nyonmo he kpda gbee kwraa. Anokwale le ji ake beni Kristojamo ba ko Ga shikpon le no beebe le, Gamei le Nyonmo ake Ofe ni eta adeboo fee no, ni asan ejieo eheshi ye adeboo nibii komei ke Gamei anifeemo nii ke ame daa gbi shihile mli. Ene hewo je ni woyoseo ake Gamei ke Nyonmo gbei le ebata adeboo mli nibii komei ahe le.2 Asan jwerjmo nee ni kristofoi komei yoo ye Nyonmo he le jee ja keke ni ejda, shi moy ye Gamei awiemo ke woji ni anmlafee amli le, ejeo kpo fanrj ake Gamei le Nyonmo ye ame jamo ke jen shihile fee mli dani Kristojamo ba. 1 E. T. A. Abbey, Kedzi Afo Yordan (Gbele Ke Yarafeemo), (Accra: Bureau of Ghana Languages, 1968), p 37. 2 Johanness Zimmermann, A Grammatical Sketch of the Akra - or Ga -Language and some Specimen of it from the mouth of the Natives, (Stuttgert: J. F. Steinkopf, 1858), pp 243-244. See also M. E. Kropp Dakubu, 'Linguistic Pre-History and Historical Reconstruction: the Ga-Adangme Migrations' in Transaction of the Historical Society of Ghana, Vol. XIII (i), (Legon, June 1972), p 119. Shi ksle, woyoseo hu ake Kristojamo ke IJmals Kronkron shishitsoomo eye ebua ni else shishinumo ni Gamei yoo ye Nyonmo he le mli: agbene Gamsi naa Nyonmo ake Kristofoi aNyonmo, moni IJmale Kronkron yeo ehe odase ake eji wo Nuntso ke Yiwalaherelo Yesu Kristo Tse le. Oti ni yoo mi ninmaa nss mli ji ake magbls shi ni matao boni Gamei naa Nyonmo ye ame jamo ke ams shihils mli amshaa, ksjs blema, dani Kristojamo ba ks agbene tsakemoi srotoi ni eba ksje nakai bei le amli aahuu kebashi nmsns. Boni afee ni mi nine ashe oti nss he Is, mitao Gamsi ayino saji ks ams blema shihils amli, ni titri Is mikws ame jen shihils, mankuramo, nitsumoi, jarayeli ke jamoi fee aks meni abaanye akaseys nibii nee amli. Nokome hu ni mifee ye nikasemo nee mliji ake, mikws shishinumo hee ni Gamsi ena ye Nyonmo he, titri Is kstso IJmals Kronkron le shishitsoomo no, ks agbene boni Kristojamo hu etsake ams ashihils eha, ketso IJmale Kronkron Is kanemo no. Mimu shibgblsmo nee naa ke naawoo: gbe no ni abaatso ni Kristo he nilee baa shwere ye Gamsi aten. Eji mihemoksyeli aks nikasemo hee ni jso shigblsmo nee mli Is baa hsle Gamei ashi, titri le Kristofoi, koni ameyose ake nibii babaoo ye ame jen shihile ke blema saji amli ni baaye ebua ams bo ni afee ni ams nu Nyonmo shishi jogbann ni asan ams nys ameja le ye ame disrjtss ams shishinumo naa ksjetj shihils mli.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermartzburg, 2006.

This study is an attempt to critique the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission from a theological ethical perspective. The central critique and argument of this study will be that, it is impossible to reconcile the dispossessor and the dispossessed or the oppressor and oppressed in the way the South African TRC did. As such, it will be befitting to start off this study which explores some of the noticeable lessons and challenges emerging from the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (hereafter, the TRC) by elucidating that this study is an attempt to contribute to the on-going discussions on reconciliation. It is also vital to mention up front that this study attempts to contribute to the discussion on reconciliation which seeks to remove injustice at the root. It contributes to a discussion of the weeds of alienation and fragmentation, and it stands in contrast to the frequent use of reconciliation merely to reach some political accommodation and not to address the critical questions of justice, equality and dignity (Boesak & DeYoung 2012). It is also befitting to point out that two central themes – political pietism and Christian quietism – form the backdrop to this study (Boesak & DeYoung 2012). The study contends that reconciliation in South Africa was used merely to reach some political accommodation and did not address the three critical questions of justice, equality and dignity. These arrangements perpetually favour the rich and powerful but deprive the powerless of justice and dignity. Hitherto, this reconciliation is presented as if it does respond to the need for genuine reconciliation and employs a language that sounds like the truth, but it is in fact deceitful – and this we call political pietism. It is also vital to mention that “reconciliation” is a Christian concept, and as such, Christians’ measure matters of reconciliation with the yardstick of the gospel and therefore should know better. However, as it will be shown in this study, when Christians in South Africa discovered that the TRC was not really promoting reconciliation, they became complicit in a deceitful reconciliation. This may have been for reasons of self-protection, fear or a desire for acceptance by the powers that govern the world. Whichever way one looks at it, they tried to seek to accommodate the situation, to justify it and to refuse to run the risk of challenge and prophetic truth telling. As a result, they denied the demands of the gospel and refused solidarity with the powerless and oppressed. This is called Christian quietism (Boesak & DeYoung 2012:1). This study in its attempt to critique the South Africa TRC from a theological ethical perspective will point out that, the TRC which was obviously the product of the negotiated settlement needs to be understood against the background of the global struggle of particularly Third-World countries which were resisting authoritarian regimes put in place by the West for the benefit of the West. As such, this study will point out how the West, in their attempt to keep a grip on the Third-World countries – particularly on their resources – had to recommend and promote their notion of democracy. Democracy became the only option for Third-World countries as a result of the fall of the Soviet Union. It must, however, be mentioned that the problem is not democracy but the manifestation thereof under capitalism. This is because the notion of democracy was recommended to Third-World countries when capitalism was becoming global. As such, this presented some contradictions because democracy emphasizes joint interests, equality and common loyalties whilst capitalism is based on self-seeking inequality and conflicting individual and group interest (Terriblanche 2002). This means that a transition to democracy (especially constitutional democracy) means that the former oppressor or dispossessor will hold on to economic power. As such, the sudden interest of both the NP and the corporate sector in South Africa to a transition to democracy needs to be understood against this background. This study will argue and demonstrate how the ANC was outsmarted during the negotiations in that, at the formal negotiations, the ANC won political power whilst the NP/corporate sector in South Africa won economic power. This is mentioned to here to point out that both the elite compromise reached at the formal and informal negotiations and the influence of the Latin-American truth commissions led to the inability or unwillingness of the TRC to uncover the truth about systemic exploitation. As such, this study will argue and demonstrate that, on the one hand, reconciliation was not added to the truth commission for the purpose of confronting the country with the demands of the gospel and, on the other hand, the TRC was set up (from its inception) for failure.
Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology
D.Th. (Theological Ethics)

There is an ongoing crisis between Ugandan and North American United Methodists related to global missional partnerships and the financial ethics of international donor funds. For nearly a decade, these two parties worked together around the themes of global partnerships in mission and ministry. Today, these relationships are broken and communication has been severely impacted due to allegations of mismanaged funds on the episcopal level in East Africa. After reviewing existing literature focused on communication, moral decision-making, conflict resolution, and cultural and intercultural competency from both western and African perspectives, I invited two theological resources into a conversation. As parties involved in conflict address problems of communication and moral decision-making, the deeper issues of cultural and intercultural awareness can be examined. This research intentionally took a small step toward the larger goal of conflict forming a new theological resource for shared coherent moral discourse.