children to become strained and although his family had initially joined the movement they soon fell out with other members who called them ‘sinners’ and burned their clothes. Things at the commune got so bad that Kibwetere’s own family, including five of his own sons and daughters ran away. The last time the family were to see Kibwetere was in 1995 when he came to the funeral of one of his children who died of natural causes.
The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God placed themselves within a remote farming community in the unstable south-west corner of Uganda and led a relatively uneventful existence as far as the media and the police were concerned until the horrid events that were to unfold in the year 2000.
LIFE WITHIN THE CULT
As with many African countries Uganda has a whole range of religious movements and groups, spreading a variety of messages and ideologies. The Ten Commandments of God had been fairly inconspicuous and was a registered charity that portrayed itself as being intent on spreading the word of Jesus with the aim to make as many people as possible adhere to the Ten Commandments. The link with the Roman Catholic religion was apparent, with small statues of Jesus and a crucifix decorating their modest headquarters. The headquarters interestingly enough, had one time been the family home of Mwerinde. She became the sole owner of the property after her three brothers mysteriously died one by one.
In 1992 the group moved from Kibwetere’s home, in the countryside, and by 1998 the group had become a flourishing natural community who lived together on land bought by combining the money gained from individual sales of their properties. They built churches in amongst the plantations and had their own primary school. The followers all lived together in dormitory style accommodation and local villagers described the members as being completely disciplined and very polite but with some strange habits, such as on certain days speaking entirely through hand signals. The reason for this was so as not to break the ninth commandment (eighth commandment for Roman Catholics and some Lutherans):
It was in this year that the group had some problems. The local authorities took away its charity licence because the school was breaking public health requirements and there were rumours that children were being poorly treated.
During this time Joseph Kibwetere merged his leadership with Credonia Mwerinde who had increasingly become a dominant force within the group. She was often referred to by other members as the ‘programmer’ as all of the Virgin Mary’s ‘orders’ were channelled through Mwerinde’s body and voice.
Some people say that Mwerinde ultimately took over and shadowed all of the other leaders. Kibwetere was just a figure-head for her to use as a pawn in her quest for fame and money. She was seen by many as a violent, vindictive, unstable woman who was a pyromaniac and had killed before. Her ex-husband was quoted as saying: ‘She was only happy when she was making money.’
With these views circulating does it bring us any closer to the events that were soon to take place?
WELCOME
Kibwetere and Mwerinde kept their followers isolated. Any contact with people from outside the group was strictly monitored and mostly forbidden. People outside the group were deemed ‘sinners’ but new members were warmly welcomed and always had the nicest food and warmest beds, until they became so reliant on the group that there was no chance of them leaving. When that time came they were treated just like all other members, they were encouraged to be celibate, unable to speak unless in prayer, worked long hours in the fields and lived on a nutrition lacking dish of beans. In order to become a fully fledged member of the movement newcomers were required to read a book entitled A Timely Message from Heaven: The End of the Present Time even though the Bible was the group’s sacred text much of the governance came from this book. It was was written by Kibwetere and foretold the destructions that would come to Earth and wipe out the majority of the human race, due to their evil, disrespectful ways.
STRUCTURE OF THE MOVEMENT
The Movement consisted of separate groups. The first group was made up of new members who had read A Timely Message From Heaven. These were the novices and they were required to wear black. The next group were the people who had sworn to follow the commandments, they wore green. The fully fledged members were those who were ‘willing to die in the arc’ and they wore white and green. Although this vow was referring to burial requirements of members, it may have had an ulterior motive for occurrences to come.
The whole community was based around the ‘second generation’ apostles. It was second generation as the movement believed that at the second coming, both the Virgin Mary and Jesus would return. For this reason six men and six women made up the leaders.
Members grew increasingly tired and hungry and due to the lack of contact with the outside world started to rely on the group for all of the emotions that as humans we rely on to survive.
Even though the majority of the group’s members were Roman Catholics, they were taught that the Catholic Church was an enemy, badly in need of reform. Their own rules as well as those from the handbook, came direct from the Virgin Mary so they must be the right rules to follow – surely?
Doomsday predictions were endlessly lectured by Mwerinde and the other leaders to their flock. When the predicted day passed without any world-ending events the date would be pushed forward. By the time the world had entered the year 2000 it is said that some cult members may have started to suspect something, but Mwerinde calmed these feelings in a constitution. She stated that the world would end ‘before the completion of the year 2000’. There would be no 2001. For many of her members she remained true to her word as on March 17, 2000, a terrifying fire was to take place that would mean the end of the world for hundreds of innocent people.
INVITATION TO CELEBRATE
On March 15, 2000, Joseph Kibwetere issued a letter to government officials describing the world changing events that were about to take place. It spoke of the end of the current generation of people and of the world. The messenger dropped off the letter and bid farewell. The members also started to take part in activities that can be seen as preparation for the end or in preparation of a celebration, or both. They slaughtered cattle and bought a large supply of soft drinks such as cola. At the same time members started to travel across the country inviting both current and old members back to the compound in time for March 17. Members were reported as saying that on this day the Virgin Mary was to appear. Many members of the commune started to sell products to the nearby villagers for little or no profit and many debts within the community were settled. A local shop keeper alleges to have sold one of the apostles – Father Dominic Kataribabo – 40 litres of sulphuric acid which he claimed was needed to replenish power batteries.
BLAZING INFERNO
On the night of March 15, 2000, the members consumed the beef and drinks and had a celebration in honour of their new church, which they had recently constructed. On March 16, the members spent most of the night praying and then met early on March 17, in the new church. It is reported that around 10 a.m. they were all seen leaving the new church to enter the old church, which was now being used as a dining hall.
Did the hundreds of devout worshippers know that this would be the last time they saw the fresh air or did they think they were going to carry on with the celebration feast in the dining hall? When the members finally realised what was going on were they too exhausted and confused to resist?
Approximately 600 people went into the old church on this day and stayed where they were as the windows and doors were boarded up and nailed shut around them. At around 10.30 a.m. nearby villagers heard a massive explosion and when they arrived at the scene a gargantuan inferno had rapidly taken hundreds of lives.
The victims of the blaze included people from all generations; men, women and children perished. The death toll even today is still not accurately known but reports state that between 300 and 600 people died on that ‘apocalyptic’ morning. It is not even known if the leaders of the movement perished with their followers.
Joseph Kibwetere’s family believe that he is dead although his body has not yet been positively identified. A ring believed to have belonged to Kibwetere was found on the finger of a charred body amongst the rubble of the burned church. But is this enough to prove that the 12 apostles burnt together with their followers?
There are mixed views as to what happened to Credonia Mwerinde. A few days after the fire police claimed to have found her body, but some people believe that she is still alive. One local business man claims to have discussed selling cult land, vehicles and property just days before the fire. There have also been sightings of her in surrounding countries including the Democratic of the Congo where due to the lack of laws in the country there would be no way of her being faced with any kind of justice or arrest.
