The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control has reported the return of about eighty 80 Ugandan citizens who had gone to Ethiopia, allegedly on a mission to spread the word of God.

The group belongs to a suspected cultic church based in Soroti District known as Christ Disciples Church.

Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has cautioned members of the public against following such religious sects and falling prey to cults. 

In May 2023, a number of residents of a village and neighboring areas in Soroti District went missing while some were intercepted in Turkana, Kenya on their way to Ethiopia.

The group belonged to what authorities say is a cult-like church, Christ Disciples Church. Their pastor had reportedly told the faithful that the world was coming to an end and that they would only be spared doomsday by meeting Jesus in Ethiopia.

Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who addressed journalists at Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, said that the Ethiopian authorities last week deported 80 members of the church to Uganda after detaining them for some days.

Mundeyi said that the group, the majority of who were illiterates, also consisted of an elite category, including teachers, and civil servants working with the Soroti District Local Government.

Mundeyi cautioned so-called spiritual leaders against taking advantage of vulnerable believers. He, however, also appealed to the believers to be cautious, reasonable and properly assess the situation before giving in to certain arrangements.

This comes as Kenyan authorities continue exhuming bodies from the expansive Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County after a self-styled pastor, Paul Thenge Mackenzie convinced hundreds of believers to starve to death and go to heaven.

So far, over 200 bodies, mainly of children, youth, and women have been exhumed from mass graves in the forest on a farm owned by the self-styled pastor.

The worst cult death in Uganda was in March 2000 when over 700 people were burnt to death in a church in Kanungu district under the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. Investigations later revealed that in total, over 1,000 people died over several months in Kanungu and other parts of Kampala where the cult had leaders under the overall leadership of Joseph Kibwetere.

Mary Prima Awor