Grace Nakimera has thrown her support behind gospel singer Gabbie Ntaate after the singer opened up about feeling discriminated against by some born-again Christians because she is a Seventh-day Adventist.
Gabbie’s remarks recently sparked conversation around divisions within Uganda’s gospel music community, particularly over how artists from different Christian denominations are treated.
Grace says she can relate.
The veteran gospel singer revealed that she has experienced similar treatment herself, leaving her questioning why religious discrimination happens within the church and what purpose it ultimately serves.
Grace sympathised with Gabbie over the experience, saying it was particularly painful because she had simply gone to an event to perform her gospel music.
“I feel so sorry for you my sister because it affected you on your show and I feel so bad because it is unfair.”
According to Grace, Gabbie’s denomination should not determine whether people appreciate or support her music.
She praised Gabbie’s music as soul-touching and said her songs help listeners connect with God through worship and praise.
That led Grace to question why anyone would overlook such music simply because the artist belongs to a different denomination.
“How do you measure born-again? Why do you even judge people randomly?”
Grace also criticised Christians who view themselves as more righteous than others, arguing that judgment and exclusion can have the opposite effect of what the church is supposed to achieve.
She warned that such behaviour risks pushing people away from Christianity rather than bringing them closer to God.
For Grace, the church should instead be a place where people from different backgrounds can find acceptance.
“The church should be an open door that welcomes everybody.”
She explained that people often turn to church when they are looking for refuge, comfort and somewhere to lay down their burdens.
If discrimination and judgment continue within religious spaces, Grace warned that some people could eventually feel they have nowhere safe to turn.
Her comments come as Uganda’s gospel music scene continues to grapple with questions around competition, denomination and how Christian artists relate to one another.
For Grace, however, the central issue is simple: faith communities should encourage people to draw closer to God rather than exclude them because of the church they attend.