Robert Kayanja Jr. has hit back at Malaika Mutoni Gashumba, accusing her family of starting the ongoing public dispute with Pastor Robert Kayanja and later portraying themselves as victims.
Kayanja Jr.’s response follows Malaika’s appeal for both families to keep innocent children and future generations out of the disagreement involving her husband, Frank Gashumba, and the pastor’s family.
In her statement, Malaika questioned the alleged use of generational curses against Frank and his descendants, arguing that disagreements between adults should not become a reason to target innocent family members.
Kayanja Jr. offered a different account of how the controversy began, arguing that Frank initiated the confrontation by publicly challenging his father’s ministry.
According to Kayanja Jr., Frank questioned the authenticity of miracles and speaking in tongues, with his criticism extending beyond Pastor Robert Kayanja to the wider Christian community.
He accused the Gashumba family of presenting themselves as victims despite what he described as their role in starting the dispute.
Shs500 Million Challenge Sparked Public Exchange
The dispute reportedly began when Frank challenged pastors to demonstrate their healing claims, offering Shs500 million to anyone who could prove miraculous healing in hospitals.
The challenge has since developed into a broader public exchange involving criticism of religious leaders, remarks about physical appearance, accusations of defamation and responses from members of both families.
The controversy intensified further after Kayanja Jr. reportedly issued warnings about the potentially deadly consequences of the confrontation.
However, the available account does not provide the full wording or context of those warnings.
Kayanja Jr. Defends His Mother
Kayanja Jr. also defended his mother, Pastor Jessica Kayanja, praising her response to Frank’s criticism and rejecting suggestions that her remarks were equivalent to the attacks directed at his family.
His comments come after Malaika questioned why Jessica had focused on remarks about physical appearance without, in her view, first addressing the alleged statements about Frank’s death and his descendants.
Malaika maintained that she does not support body shaming but argued that comments about appearance should not be equated with alleged threats or generational curses involving innocent children.
The competing statements have placed both families at the centre of an increasingly personal public disagreement, with each side challenging the other’s account of the controversy.
Family Members Drawn Into the Dispute
Kayanja Jr. further accused the Gashumba family of seeking publicity by having several relatives weigh in on the matter, specifically mentioning Frank, his daughter Sheilah Gashumba and Malaika.
He urged the family to disengage from the public exchange rather than continue responding while portraying themselves as the injured party.
Malaika, meanwhile, has called for fairness and consistency, arguing that Jessica’s concerns about protecting innocent people should also extend to Frank’s children and grandchildren, including those yet to be born.
The dispute now involves not only Frank and Pastor Robert Kayanja but also members of their families, with competing arguments about religious criticism, personal dignity and the treatment of children.
Whether the exchange will lead to a resolution remains unclear. For now, both sides continue to defend their positions in a controversy that began with a challenge to religious healing claims and has since become a wider family dispute.