The Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, on Saturday commissioned the newly constructed Nsomba Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church in Buyende District, where she urged faith-based institutions to partner with government in fighting poverty and promoting community development.
Speaking during the church’s dedication ceremony, Babalanda commended the collective efforts that led to the completion of the church building, describing it as a reflection of unity, sacrifice and commitment among the congregation.
She paid special tribute to Mr. Ngoma Zebroni for donating 10 acres of land on which the church is built, as well as the family of the late Dhikusoka, including his wife and children, and Kagoda Dhikusoka Elijah, the Kaliro District Chairperson, for their significant contributions towards the construction of the church.
“A church is more than just a building; it is a centre for prayer, moral guidance and community transformation,” Babalanda said, congratulating members of the Nsomba SDA Church on the milestone. She encouraged the congregation to use the place of worship to promote discipline, hard work and love for one another.
During the event, Babalanda also commissioned a water source that she donated to benefit both the church and the surrounding Nsomba community.
She called on Christians to align their faith with the government’s development agenda by embracing household income-generating programmes, promoting education, fighting corruption, reducing idleness and working towards eliminating poverty.
Babalanda reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with faith-based institutions as key partners in advancing social transformation, peace-building and service delivery.
To further support household income improvement, the minister announced that part of the 10-acre land donated by Mr. Ngoma Zebroni would be used to establish a community demonstration project based on the government’s four-acre model.
The project will allocate one acre for coffee cultivation, either Robusta or Arabica, one acre for high-value fruits, another for banana production and the fourth for animal feeds. Babalanda said the demonstration farm would enable community members to acquire practical agricultural skills and replicate the model on their own land to improve household incomes.
The minister also thanked residents who participated in the recently concluded health camp at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, where Turkish medical professionals provided free medical services. She urged the congregation to prioritise their health by seeking medical attention whenever they are unwell.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Archbishop Pr. Samuel Kajoba of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Resident District Commissioners, pastors from the Busoga Field, local government officials, community leaders and hundreds of residents from Budiope West and across Buyende District.
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