Pastor Robert Kayanja has defended the miracles associated with his ministry after motivational speaker and political commentator Frank Gashumba challenged pastors who claim to heal the sick to demonstrate their powers in public.
The head pastor of Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga dismissed suggestions that the miracles associated with his ministry are fake, insisting that they come from God.
“Our miracles are not fake. They are God-made. It is biblical that you have to be born again to have them,” Kayanja said.
His response follows Gashumba’s public offer of UGX 200 million to any pastor, prophet or apostle who claims to perform miracles and can demonstrate healing before members of the public.
Gashumba’s UGX 200 Million Offer
Gashumba challenged religious leaders who claim to possess healing powers to visit the intensive care unit (ICU) of a major hospital and heal a patient in front of the public.
The offer, publicised in posts circulating on social media in early October, has reignited debate about faith healing, the credibility of miracle claims and whether such claims should be subjected to public demonstrations.
Gashumba’s challenge puts the focus on whether any religious leader will accept the proposed test and attempt to claim the money.
However, no pastor’s acceptance of the challenge was identified in the information available, and it remains unclear whether the proposed demonstration will take place.
Debate Over Faith Healing
The challenge has drawn mixed reactions from Ugandans online and within religious circles.
Some supporters of Gashumba’s position argue that religious leaders who publicly claim to heal the sick should be willing to demonstrate those claims. Others maintain that miracles are matters of faith and should not be treated as performances staged to win money.
Kayanja’s response reinforces his position that the miracles associated with his ministry are acts of God. His statement, however, does not indicate whether he intends to accept Gashumba’s specific challenge or participate in a hospital-based demonstration.
The pastor is among Uganda’s best-known religious leaders, and Miracle Centre Cathedral regularly holds prayer and healing services that attract worshippers.
Gashumba, meanwhile, is known for publicly commenting on prominent figures and social issues. He has not yet been reported responding to Kayanja’s remarks.
For now, the exchange has added another chapter to the public debate over miracle claims and the expectations placed on religious leaders who say they can heal the sick.
Whether Gashumba’s UGX 200 million offer will prompt a pastor to step forward remains to be seen.