Who is Pastor Joseph Sserwadda? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, wife, family, church ministry, preaching, the political career of the founder and Senior Pastor of the Victory Christian Centre Ndeeba.
Dr Joseph Sserwadda is a Ugandan pastor, Bible teacher, businessman, presiding Apostle Born Again Faith Federation Uganda, a body that brings together born again Christians in Uganda and Senior Pastor Victory Christian Centre Ndeeba, established in 1982 till today.
He’s one of the prominent Pentecostal leaders in Uganda, a theologian and a gospel preacher.
Dr Serwadda is a National Independence Hero and Medalist at the government of Uganda since Jan 2013 till present, National Champion, Government of Uganda, population Secretariat, April 2012-present, Patriotic, Opinionated, fast learner, fighter, non-avenger, and Member Executive Council, Muteesa 1 Royal University 2008-Present, Event Convener, annual Passover Festival organizer held at Namboole Stadium since 2002-Present every 31 December.
Pastor Serwadda believes it’s God who has kept President Museveni in power since 1986. He was one of the religious leaders that advocated for the re-opening of worship centres after they faced closure due to a coronavirus outbreak in early 2020.
Churches and Mosques were the first places to be closed by the government as a measure to protect the country against the spread of the coronavirus.
According to public criticism on the matter, religious leaders wanted churches to re-open to make money, allegations Serwadda downplayed. He said they want to seek God to intervene in the situation and help the world.
Controversy
In 2017, Pastor Joseph Sserwadda was criticized when he asked the government of Uganda to check the rapid population growth by enforcing vasectomy. This was in his Passover message that he organizes every 31 December.
In November 2017, Pastor Serwadda has sued over Shs115 million debts.
According to court documents filed by Mr David Sembatya before the Commercial Court, the agreed purchase price was Shs189million which was to be paid by Pastor Serwadda through KCB Bank for a piece of land on block 383 Plot 4786 Kajansi, Busiro.
In January 2020, Pastor Serwadda attacked Pastor Aloysius Buggingo of House of Prayer Ministries International (HPMI) and asked parliament to quickly pass a marriage bill into law to help silence the people seeking to destabilize the marriage institution in Uganda.
Serwadda’s remarks were in line with Buggingo’s comment on the marriage vow saying ‘till death do us part is not biblical and is the cause of murders between couples, including his separation with his wife while addressing guests at the Inter-Faith prayer breakfast organized by Parliament.
Pastor Serwadda has also had a strange relationship with Pr. Buggingo ever since they parted.
Family
Pastor Sserwadda is married to Freda Serwadda and together they have eight children including David Martin Sebuguzi from an earlier relationship.
Church Ministry
Pastor Joseph Sserwadda leads a more than five thousand strong church, Victory Christian Center Ndeeba in the capital, Kampala, with over 500 churches under its umbrella, and about four affiliated media outlets that include Impact FM and Alpha FM, across Uganda.
He also presides over a group of Evangelical and Pentecostal pastors and churches under the umbrella organization, Born Again Faith Federation.
Pr. Serwadda was once a teacher at Lubaale Primary School in Kabulasoke, Gomba District. He studied Journalism and later named his first-born son, David Martin after a BBC presenter that he admired immensely for clarity of speech and deep-voiced Southern England accent.
“I still use albeit differently, and use communication skills for doing what I do today, evangelism,” Pr. Serwadda says.
Politics
Pastor Joseph Sserwadda is a strong ally of President Museveni and much known for speaking his mind on politics, most of the times in favour of Museveni’s government.
He once said that it’s God who has kept President Museveni in power.
Also, during the heat of the debate on taxes on mobile money and over the top (OTT) services, Serwadda mentioned that voters should not vote back MPs who opposed the taxes.
This was during a Sunday Morning show he conducts titled ‘Ebizimba Okukkiriza’ literally means What Build Faith program on his Dream Television.
“But if you brought that person into power, remove them,” said Serwadda during the ‘Ebizimba Okukkiriza’ (What Build Faith) program. But if He who brought him still needs him in power, all you have to do is prepare for what lies ahead.”
According to Serwadda, “Ugandans who talk that way, (that Museveni has overstayed in power) have a problem.” He adds that elections don’t decide who rules a country but God decides. They have failed to understand that it is God leading Uganda. Many think it is elections that bring people to power, no. You can bring him, and God rejects him.”
Other Responsibilities
Dr Serwadda is the proprietor of Impact FM and Alpha FM, Christian based stations located in Ndeeba at the church premises in Kampala.
He as well runs an orphanage centre in Uganda.
