Who is Martin Ssempa? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, activism career, early life and education.
Martin Ssempa is a Ugandan-American pastor, anti-gay activist, social activist and the founder of the Makerere Community Church. He has duo citizenship for both Uganda and the United States of America.
Martin Ssempa first came to international prominence in 2010, according to “Missionaries of Hate” from Vanguard. This was after he presented a video at his church that went viral, showcasing his hatred and opposition to homosexuality in Uganda.
Early Life and Education
Martin Ssempa was born in 1968 to Dorothy Namuli, a single mother in Naluzaale Masaka District, Central part of Uganda. He never got an opportunity to meet his father who he assumes to be an Indian or Asian trader.
“I am a child of an illicit relationship that was disapproved of racially and religiously.”
Ssempa is therefore a strong critic of abortion after his mother chose to keep him despite several threats and disorders to do so. His mother named him after his maternal grandfather and mostly spent his early childhood in Masaka.
His mother was a teacher and he changed schools often, during his early school days. Ssempa went to Kimanya Primary School in Masaka and St. Peter’s Primary School in Nsambya where he completed his primary education.
Later, Ssempa attended Rubaga Boy’s Secondary School for his O’ Level class, and then Namilyango College where he sat his A’ Level exams.
As a teenager, Ssempa became a celebrity in East Africa as the national break dancing champion. He was awarded East African Break Dance Champion.
He used to compose drama skits to educate students around the country about AIDS and the good news of Jesus Christ. “I was lucky to have made a decision to get saved and was challenged to be part of the response team”.
Ssempa at the time began a prime time fellowship about the same time to strengthen his ministry among the young people and save them from contracting the HIV/AIDS virus. He traversed the country conducting drama shows using the bible to counsel people.
After his secondary school, Ssempa was admitted to Makerere University in 1988 graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science, specializing in Sociology. During his time at the University, both Ssempa’s brother and sister contracted HIV.
Ssempa sat by their beds as they grew sicker and died in 1990. After their death, Ssempa blamed their promiscuity and feared that his lifestyle would also lead to his death on the same path.
As a result, Ssempa chose to change his lifestyle. Formerly a Catholic he converted to Evangelical Christianity at the Wandegeya Baptist Youth Center. His mission was to get a close attachment to some of the beautiful girls in church, but this ended after he received Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
Ssempa narrates that his recurrent fellowship revealed him the entire different paradigm of Godly young people, something that got into motion in one year.
Thereafter, Ssempa joined a drama group that travelled throughout the country performing in schools to create awareness to students about HIV/AIDS.
Later, Ssempa proceeded with school and received a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling from Cairn University, Philadelphia Biblical University.
In 2006, Cairn University awarded him with an accredited honorary doctorate for his work with people living with HIV/AIDS.
Family
Martin Ssempa is married to Trace Ssempa a white woman and American and together they have five children; Pablo Ssempa, Arielle Ssempa, Josiah Ssempa, Mackay Ssempa, Abigail Ssempa.
The two got married in 1992, right after graduating from Makerere University.
Favourite Movies
- God Loves Uganda
Activism Career
Martin Ssempa got an international prominence following a video of an anti-homosexuality presentation he showcased at his Makerere Community Church that went viral.
Martin Ssempa opposes the separation of church and state. He promotes condom use to prevent HIV contraction.
Supports abstinence-plus fidelity education in the fight against sexual diseases. Ssempa has advocated a cessation of tribal rivalries and hatred in Uganda.
Ssempa is the leading actor against sodomy in Uganda and a strong advocate of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill “kick sodomy out of Uganda, endorsing proposed legislation in Uganda that makes certain homosexual acts punishable by life in prison or, in some severe cases of rape, death”.
However, his campaigns against homosexuality have been the most controversial.
Ssempa championed the bill by showing gay pornography, depicting fisting, anilingus, and coprophilia in his church and at conferences, publicized and circulated on the internet as “Eat Da Poo Poo”. Former US President Barack Obama referred to the bill as “odious”.
Also, Ssempa is a co-author of Uganda’s 2004 “Abstinence and Being Faithful” AIDS policy; a revised policy of the previous “ABC Program” – Abstinence, Being Faithful, and Condom Usage.
Ssempa is also a special representative of the Task Force on AIDS championed by the Ugandan First Lady, Janet Museveni. Ssempa has testified before the United States Congress on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.
Ssempa worked with Rick Warren and Saddleback Church’s HIV/AIDS Initiative, serving as a keynote speaker at Warren’s Disturbing Voices AIDS conference. However, in 2007, Ssempa and Warren went separate way.
In October 2012, Ssempa and five others were convicted at Buganda Road Court for conspiring to tarnish Pastor Robert Kayanja’s reputation. The group accused Kayanja of engaging in homosexuality.
The case stemmed from a May 2009 incident in which Ssempa and the other members falsely accused Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center of practising homosexuality. They were sentenced to a fine of Shs1m and 100 hours of community service after Kayanja was found not guilty.
Ssempa to Bobi Wine
Ssempa criticized singer turned prominent politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine over ‘Tuliyambala Engule’ hymn, a church song he twisted to suit his political motives, a song that was later banned from airing on radios and television stations in Uganda.
Ssempa and others accused the singer of desecrating the Christian heritage of the hymn for political gain.
“We have strong attachments to these songs because they map out the journey of a pilgrim’s progress,” he said.
Other Responsibilities
Martin Ssempa is a pastor at Makerere Community Church mainly for University students a service he has conducted for over 20 years. His style involves preaching through entertainment and he’s an outspoken person.
