The priest at Mwereerwe Church of Uganda, Rev. Ronald Kalende, has been suspended by Namirembe Diocese after he confessed to fathering a child with a 23-year-old church choir pianist named Perusi Serena Nabirye. This revelation comes just one week before Rev. Kalende’s scheduled wedding to the daughter of a Reverend.
Allegations suggest that besides Rev. Kalende, the young woman was also involved in an intimate relationship with another priest, Rev. Julius Matovu of Jjungo. What began as a rumor about two priests having relations with the same woman was confirmed when the woman became pregnant. Last month, Nabirye gave birth and asserted that Rev. Kalende is the father of her baby. However, Rev. Kalende and Rev. Matovu had initially denied being the father, with each accusing the other of being the true parent.
Nabirye disclosed that the diocese had indicated they would conduct a DNA test to determine the child’s biological father but had not followed through with the process. She also claimed to have been asked to leave the residence she was staying in and was receiving inadequate financial support.
The situation has caused tensions among the clergy, with Rev. Kalende accusing Rev. Matovu of using Nabirye to defame him, while Rev. Matovu urged them to resolve the matter and undergo a DNA test. A video of Kalende denying Nabriye’s pregnancy is also available for viewing.
It seems that this scandal has stirred a significant amount of controversy within the Anglican Diocese.