Ankore bishop Sheldon Mwesigwa has said clerics deserve more from government because of the work they do for the nation.

Mwesigwa was responding to claims that Uganda’s three-decade President Yoweri Museveni bribed him and the church to amend his age as the age limit debate rages on.

Last month, Museveni celebrated 70 years of baptism at St Luke Church of Uganda, Kinoni Archdeaconry in Rwampara, Mbarara District at a function presided over by Mwesigwa.

Article 102b of Uganda’s constitution bars anyone over 75 years to contest for president.

Born in 1944 and in power since 1986, Museveni will be ineligible for reelection when Uganda next goes to the polls in 2021.

At the August 2017 event, records at Kinoni indicated that Museveni was baptised in 1947, three years after his birth.

But some misinterpreted this record to mean that Museveni had edited his year of birth to 1947 – and that Mwesigwa had orchestrated the amendment.

But Mwesigwa told TV West at the weekend that the celebration of Museveni’s baptism anniversary was misconstrued to drag him into politics.

“The records book is there [at Kinoni]; it is not at State House,” the bishop clarified in the Runyankore-Rukiga.

“It is not the date of birth [but the date of baptism]. The date of baptism was never included in the records book Come and I show you the book.”

Mwesigwa also spoke about the gifts such as cars the president gives to religious leaders.

“They should give us more because we do many things that are helpful to Ugandans. Compared to the work we do and the help we give government, the cars we are given are just a drop in the ocean in monetary terms,” the cleric said.

He added: “I think what most people need, from what I have heard, they want these gifts like cars to come from government – not the president – that is for MPs to decide.

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