For a desperate Ugandan battling illness, unemployment, infertility, a broken marriage or crushing debt, a promise of a miracle can sound more powerful than any medical prescription, job application or legal remedy.
It is this desperation that has made Uganda’s booming Pentecostal church industry fertile ground for both genuine religious ministry and, critics say, the manipulation of vulnerable believers through exaggerated claims of miracles, prophecy and divine intervention.
The latest controversy has been triggered by outspoken businessman and political commentator Frank Gashumba, who has challenged pastors, prophets and apostles claiming supernatural healing powers to prove their abilities under independently verifiable conditions.
Gashumba initially offered Shs200 million to any preacher who could accompany him to a major hospital such as Mulago, Nsambya or Mengo and heal a critically ill patient. He later raised the challenge to Shs500 million.
His argument is simple: if a pastor publicly claims the power to cure serious diseases, why should the same power not be demonstrated where thousands of sick Ugandans are fighting for their lives?
The challenge has reopened an uncomfortable national debate about the miracle business, church finances and the responsibility of government to protect vulnerable believers without interfering with freedom of worship.
Gashumba has insisted that he is not attacking God or Christianity. “I have never said that God does not exist or that Jesus does not work,” he said, insisting that his target is what he calls “fake prophets, pastors and apostles” who use the name of Jesus to exploit poor believers.
He has described some pastors as crooks and accused them of using supposed miracles to extract money from their followers.
The accusations have put prominent religious figures including Pastor Robert Kayanja, Pastor Samuel Kakande, Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, Pastor Aloysious Bujjingo, Prophet Elvis Mbonye and Apostle Grace Lubega under renewed public scrutiny.
But it is important to distinguish between public allegations against particular ministries and proven fraud. The existence of disputed or unverified miracle claims does not, by itself, establish that every pastor named has committed fraud.
How The Miracle Machine Works
Critics say one of the most powerful tools used by miracle preachers is the testimony. A person walks onto a church platform and narrates how she had suffered infertility for years, how her husband had abandoned her, how she had failed to secure employment or how she had been diagnosed with a serious disease.
The congregation applauds, the pastor prays, the person falls to the ground, cries, shakes or claims immediate relief and the congregation erupts.
To a desperate believer sitting in the audience, the message is clear: If it happened to her, it can happen to me. That emotional connection can be more powerful than evidence.
Another technique is the public prophecy. A preacher may announce that someone in the congregation is suffering from a particular problem without naming them. A frightened or hopeful congregant identifies herself, walks forward and becomes part of the service. The pastor then asks questions.
Critics say this can create the impression that the preacher possesses supernatural knowledge when, in reality, information may have been obtained through conversations with church workers, prayer counsellors, registration forms or prior interactions.
The congregation sees only the dramatic moment on stage. The preparation behind it remains invisible.
There is also the use of objects associated with blessings. These include water, oil, handkerchiefs, books, rice or other items that are presented as points of contact with divine power.
Uganda has previously seen controversy over so-called “holy rice” associated with Prophet Samuel Kakande, with critics questioning claims surrounding its spiritual benefits and its sale to believers.
For a person desperate for a job, marriage, child or financial breakthrough, Shs50,000 or Shs100,000 can appear a small price to pay for a promised transformation. But when multiplied across thousands of followers, the sums become enormous.
The Woman Waiting For A Child
Perhaps nowhere is the emotional vulnerability more visible than among women desperate to have children. Infertility can bring enormous social and psychological pressure in Uganda.
A woman may have endured years of family insults, marital conflict, rejection or accusations that she is responsible for a childless marriage. Into that pain enters the miracle preacher.
She is told that her breakthrough is coming. She is encouraged to attend overnight prayers. She is asked to give an offering. She is told to sow a “seed”.
She may be encouraged to return for another prayer session. If conception eventually occurs naturally, the miracle is attributed to the pastor.
If it does not, the explanation may shift: she did not have enough faith; she did not give enough; there was a spiritual enemy; she missed a prayer session; or she needs another deliverance. The cycle can continue indefinitely.
The same vulnerability can affect women battling domestic violence, poverty, HIV, cancer, depression or abandonment.
A church can provide genuine counselling, community and hope. But critics warn that the same relationship of trust can become exploitative when spiritual authority is converted into a mechanism for extracting money.
The Money Trail
The language of the miracle economy is often financial: tithe, offering, seed, first fruit, special contribution, thanksgiving and sacrifice.
Giving is a legitimate part of Christian worship. The problem arises when giving is presented as a transaction — give this amount and God will give you that result. This is where the prosperity gospel becomes particularly controversial.
A poor believer can be persuaded that failure to give is responsible for continued poverty. A sick person can be made to feel that insufficient giving is preventing healing.
A woman desperate for a child can be told that her breakthrough requires a special financial sacrifice. Critics argue that this creates a dangerous psychological trap: the believer does not simply lose money; she may blame herself when the promised miracle fails to materialise.
The scale of Uganda’s problem has been recognised even within government. In 2024, the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity said the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework had created challenges for religious and faith organisations, including the manipulation of congregations by some leaders.
In 2025, government again said it wanted religious institutions regulated following reports of manipulation of followers, financial impropriety and harmful doctrines.
The fact that this debate has continued for years is itself an indictment of the regulatory vacuum.
Where Is Government?
Uganda guarantees freedom of religion. Government cannot simply decide which pastor is genuine and which one is not. But there is a difference between regulating belief and regulating fraud. Government does not have to determine whether a miracle came from God.
It can, however, require religious organisations collecting millions of shillings from the public to keep proper financial records. It can require transparency over donations and expenditure.
It can investigate false medical claims. It can prosecute fraud where evidence exists.
And it can ensure that vulnerable people are not discouraged from seeking professional medical treatment.
The Uganda AIDS Commission demonstrated what responsible intervention can look like in August when it warned religious leaders against presenting prayer as a medically proven cure for HIV.
The warning followed public testimonies associated with Apostle Grace Lubega’s ministry claiming healing from HIV. UAC stressed that there is no scientifically validated cure for HIV available for routine clinical use and warned patients not to abandon antiretroviral treatment.
That is not an attack on Christianity. It is public-health protection.
Ssenyonga And The War Against False Prophets
The criticism of miracle claims is not coming only from secular commentators. Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga has for years positioned himself as an opponent of what he describes as false prophets and fraudulent miracle workers.
In 2022, he was reported to have been threatened after publicly attacking pastors whom he accused of faking miracles and defrauding followers.
He has also previously accused the late Pastor Augustine Yiga of faking miracles, allegations that triggered backlash from other religious leaders. Pastor Martin Ssempa has likewise been a vocal critic of controversial prophetic ministries.
In 2020, Ssempa described Prophet Elvis Mbonye’s ministry in extremely strong terms, accusing it of resembling the cult associated with Joseph Kibwetere.
More recently, Ssempa has entered the current Gashumba controversy, publicly following the miracle challenge and asking when pastors would respond to it.
His position illustrates an important point: criticism of questionable miracle claims is not necessarily criticism of Christianity. There are Christians themselves demanding greater accountability from religious leaders.
Mbonye, Kakande And The Prophecy Business
Prophet Elvis Mbonye has long attracted both devoted followers and fierce critics because of his claims of prophecy. His ministry continues to broadcast programmes centred on prophecy.
But his prophetic record has also attracted public criticism.
Pastor Kakande has similarly been at the centre of debates over miracle claims and fundraising practices. Previous reporting has documented criticism from other religious leaders who accused him of fake miracles, allegations he has rejected.
These controversies do not prove that every miracle associated with their ministries is fraudulent.
They demonstrate something else: claims of supernatural intervention are being made in an environment where independent verification is rare. And that is precisely where the problem lies.
Kayanja: “Our Miracles Are Not Fake”
Pastor Robert Kayanja has rejected Gashumba’s accusations. Responding to the challenge, Kayanja insisted that the miracles associated with his ministry are genuine. “Our miracles are not fake. They are God-made,” Kayanja said.
He also urged believers not to listen to what he called the “foolishness” of someone claiming that miracles do not exist, insisting that biblical miracles remain part of Christian faith.
Kayanja’s son, Robert Kayanja Jr, has also defended Miracle Centre Cathedral, saying the church maintains financial records and is audited by the Uganda Revenue Authority. He argued that his father does not claim to personally heal people.
“Robert Kayanja doesn’t heal. Only Jesus heals,” he said, according to recent reporting.
Kayanja Jr also pointed to the church’s humanitarian activities, including work in Karamoja, as evidence that its ministry extends beyond collecting offerings.
The response raises a legitimate theological argument: a Christian preacher may believe that God performs miracles but does not personally possess supernatural powers.
But that does not resolve the central public-interest question. How does a believer independently verify a miracle?
If someone claims to have been cured of HIV, cancer or another serious disease, there should be medical evidence.
If a person claims to have been healed, there should be records before and after the alleged healing.
If a preacher says someone has been raised from the dead, the circumstances should be independently established. Faith does not have to fear evidence.
The Price Of Hope
The danger is not that Ugandans believe in miracles. Faith is deeply embedded in Ugandan society and provides millions with comfort, community and hope.
The danger is when hope becomes a commodity. A desperate mother should not be made to believe that her child will die because she failed to give enough money.
A woman battling infertility should not be exploited because she desperately wants to become a mother.
A cancer patient should not abandon chemotherapy because someone in a pulpit promises instant healing.
An HIV-positive Ugandan should never be encouraged to stop ART because of a testimony on a church platform.
And a poor family should not be driven deeper into poverty by the promise that its last Shs100,000 will unlock supernatural wealth.
Government Must Act
Uganda does not need a Ministry of Miracles. It needs a credible framework that separates religious freedom from commercial exploitation.
Government’s proposed Religious and Faith Organisations policy has been discussed for years, with religious leaders divided over whether and how the State should regulate them.
The Directorate for Ethics and Integrity already says its religious affairs department is responsible for coordinating government engagement with religious organisations, maintaining a database and promoting responsible and accountable conduct.
What is missing is effective implementation and enforcement. The answer is not to close churches. It is to demand accountability. Religious leaders should be free to preach.
Believers should be free to give. But nobody should be free to use religion as a shield for demonstrable fraud.
Gashumba’s Shs500 million challenge may be provocative, and miracles cannot necessarily be reduced to a television-style competition.
But his question deserves a serious national response: When a preacher makes an extraordinary claim about healing, prophecy or supernatural power, what evidence should the public be entitled to demand? Until Uganda answers that question, desperate believers will continue walking into churches carrying their last money, their medical problems, their broken marriages and their dreams. And where there is desperation, there will always be someone willing to sell hope.
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