President Yoweri Museveni has commended the Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary for their charitable efforts towards the people of the Karamoja Sub-region in eastern Uganda.
“The Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary has been a blessing to the people of Karamoja, Uganda and the rest of the world. I commend you for your passion and dedication to preaching the gospel and extending charity to the needy and vulnerable groups in society,” he said.
The President’s message was contained in a speech delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo during celebrations to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary at the Merciful Love of Jesus Cathedral in Moroto District on August 15, 2026.
Museveni further recognized the efforts of the Sisters in supplementing the government’s efforts to provide health and educational services to the people of Uganda.
He thanked them for integrating social and anti-poverty programmes into their evangelization mission.
“This is proof that you are concerned about both the material and physical well-being of believers. You are emulating the example of Jesus Christ, who, besides praying, preaching and fasting, also earned his bread as a carpenter. Besides food, you need clothes, shelter, medicine, etc., which must be bought with money,” he said.
He informed believers that poverty in Uganda is partly caused by the fact that 30% of Ugandan households are still trapped in producing only enough food for their own consumption through subsistence farming, with no surplus to take to the market.
The President explained that, to save people from the vicious cycle of poverty, the NRM recommended four sectors in which they can select profit-making enterprises. These include commercial agriculture, services, industries and ICT.
Additionally, Museveni highlighted that wealth-creation funds such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, the Youth Fund and the Women Fund are available to provide financial assistance to organized groups engaged in producing goods or services for the market.
The President called upon everyone to get involved in wealth-creation initiatives, saying the government has put in place the necessary socio-economic infrastructure.
“The economic advantages that the NRM has created must translate into jobs and wealth for households. Therefore, I appeal to believers to work hard and embrace the ongoing wealth-creation campaign,” the President said.
Museveni thanked Rev. Sr. Drazia Clementina, the Provincial Superior of the Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary, for inviting him as Chief Guest to the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
In her remarks, Vice President Alupo congratulated the Sisters upon reaching their Golden Jubilee and thanked them for nurturing Ugandans.
“You have taught us values of integrity, good morals, self-sustainability, resilience and bravery,” Alupo said.
Currently, the congregation has about 400 professed sisters and 73 communities serving in 11 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, South Africa, Zambia, Italy, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States and Cuba.
Rev. Sr. Clementina, the Provincial Superior, noted that during the congregation’s 50-year journey, it has focused on nurturing the whole person and promoting human dignity by uplifting people spiritually, psychologically, socially, intellectually, morally and materially.
She explained that these services are rendered through training and equipping sisters with adequate knowledge in social work, education, health and pastoral ministries.
Among those in attendance were the Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, John Baptist Lokii; the Most Rev. Emmanuel Obbo, Archbishop of Tororo; Rt. Rev. Damiano Guzzetti, Bishop of Moroto Catholic Diocese; and Sr. Prof. Mary Jacinta Adhiambo, among others.
