Lusekelo: my utterance was biblical

LUDOVICK KAZOKA

EVANGELIST Reverend Anthon Lusekelo yesterday started his sermon promising never to comment on the accusations of using abusive language but ended up with the incident dominating his Sunday homily.

The cleric, popularly known as ‘Mzee wa Upako’ was last week reported to have used harsh words against his neighbours at Kawe suburb in Kinondoni municipality after they had allegedly belittled him as unfit for religious leadership due to drunkenness.

Reverend Lusekelo told the congregation of his GRC Church at Ubungo Kibangu in Dar es Salaam that he would comment on the matter after his critics who speak ill of him have ‘finished their work.’ “I understand many of you wished me to comment anything (on the matter).

But I won’t…if I comment, I will be part of them (the critics). Let me end here,” he said at his first Sunday sermon since he was implicated in the incident. Even though the GRC church timetable shows that the Sunday service starts at 9:00am, the clergy entered the church at 11:15 am as worshippers sang praise songs and joined them to sing a song titled ‘Yameisha’ (They’re over).

“Why are they (media) writing only bad things about me while there are also good things,” he queried, adding “Last year, I prayed for a mother to have a baby and there she’s with the baby... why don’t they write about it,” fumed Reverend Lusekelo.

Against his vow never to comment on the abusive language issue, the pastor had the incident dominating his sermon, saying he never blocked the road as the media have been reporting.

“I came out just to ask two young people, a Maasai and a lady, where were they coming from at 5am only to be told that I had blocked the road... the road that I built using my own money,” charged Reverend Lusekelo.

However, a video clip that has gone viral on social media since last week shows the religious leader blustering to people near a gate of house in the morning, amid traffic congestion, which was allegedly caused by his car that he parked on the road.

The reverend, reported to have been under the influence of alcohol, said he had never used any abusive language and that the words he uttered are also stipulated in the Bible. “The word foolish is not abusive language.

It means one who does not adhere to teachings. Scythian means one without the fear of God,” said.