Some of the people from the congregation bow and kiss Elvis Mbonye’s shoes at the event last Friday. COURTESY PHOTO
For the past three days, social media in Kampala has been full of comments and criticisms of what happened last Friday, when Prophet Elvis Mbonye was celebrated at an event dubbed “Honouring prophet Mbonye”.
A number of pictures showed men and women kissing Mbonye’s shoes and bowing down to him. On that Friday evening, Kololo Airstrip was milling with people smart in suits, evening gowns and party dresses. The atmosphere was a jubilant one.
The choir sings. COURTESY PHOTO
Earlier, the place had been a beehive of activity as women and men prepared the venue for an “evening of celebration,” where a one thousand- capacity-tent was mounted right in the middle of the open field to host the event.
By 4pm, the event had begun with women and men clapping their hands continuously and singing songs as they awaited the arrival of Mbonye. The event was a dinner organised to honour him for the prophecies he has pronounced over people’s lives.
His arrival
Elvis Mbonye arrives at Kololo Independence grounds, where the event took place. COURTESY PHOTO.
At about 7pm, a black convoy, with cars, all Range Rover Sport, led by a police car came through the roads in Kololo heading for the airstrip.
Once they arrived at the gathering, Mbonye came out from the middle car which had a personalised number plate, “ELVIS”. He wore a white immaculate suit. Stepping onto the red carpet which was prepared for him, he moved with a spring in his step to the gold and white chair at the front.
All this while, the crowd cheered, shouted, pulled out scarfs, handkerchiefs, removed their shirts and lay them down for the prophet to step on. Some knelt while other people lay flat with face on the ground to welcome him.
Mr Edwin Ruyonga, a popular gospel artiste led the music team that composed songs and poems for Mbonye.
“I have a personal relationship with Mbonye and seeing what God has done through him, I had to compose a poem and songs for him,” Ruyonga said.
Receiving the blessings
Mbonye occupies a special seat. This is where his followers bowed and kissed his feet. COURTESY PHOTO
As the people sang songs telling him, “You are the one and only, the unprecedented, the able one, the non-touchable, the honoured one…” and other words, he sat on the sofa looking on with a smile. Once in a while, he stood up and clapped to the praise from the people.
Thereafter people were called to go and tap blessings from the ‘holy one of God’. They went, some alone, some in twos and threes. They knelt before him and kissed his shoes as he touched them and was said to bless them. This went on for close to 40 minutes.
The tent. COURTESY PHOTO
Twenty-seven-year-old Jackie Ashaba said she had to honour the man of God by kissing his shoes because of what he did for her when she was sick and got healed.
“I was hopeless and the prophet told me to leave the job I was doing because God had prepared for me a better job. I am now happy in the job that I got. I was very sick and almost dying. When I was carried to church, he prayed for me and I have never fallen sick again,” said Ms Ashaba.
Mbonye then thanked the people who had organised and prophesied to them, saying they would get their heart’s desires. Mbonye has become one of the most talked about church leaders in Uganda today given his lavish lifestyle and his prophecies.
Followers testify on social media
A pledge card for the Hilton tent project. Courtesy Photo
On Facebook, one of his followers by the name Shamie Ekyas swore that she could kiss the Mbonye’s feet over and over again.
“Am giving evidence even that i was right there, at the most glamorous dinner with My People. Yes, I honoured my prophet. I sat at the best of the best places, god reserved me a seat at the platinum table. Am talking about the 1 million one, yessss, that one.”
“I, Shamira, the child of the most high and a remnant in this new era, too bowed and kissed the shoe, and guess what, I would do it again and again and again. Unfortunately, I dint get a chance to tell someone to take a pic of me while at it so that I can show off on these streets,” she said in a very long post about her journey since she joined the fellowship in 2014.
The event has come under criticism by social media users.
Another of his followers, Bob Aine, took time to educate Facebook users about the meaning of honour.
“Those that are so aroused against Our honour for this our Prophet; are either ignorant or just shear hypocrisy gone on a rampage. Give honour where Honour is Due. God has honoured the man; we are of God, so we honour Him. He is due Honour in the name of the Lord.
There is a difference between honour and worship. You guys honour Pastors, Parents, singers, even earthy kings, your bosses. How much more one that ministers in the name of the Lord. We worship only God in spirit and in truth. But we also honour His prophets and Apostle and ministers and children,” his post read.
Critics blocked on twitter
Some of Mbonye’s critics have however been blocked from following @ProphetElvis on twitter, and viewing his tweets.
