Uganda's Anglicans hail boycott of Lambeth meeting

Uganda's Anglican worshippers praised on Sunday their archbishop's decision to boycott a once-in-a-decade global Church meeting over a row over gay clergy and same-sex unions.

Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi said on Thursday his bishops would shun the Lambeth Conference in June to protest against invitations sent to leaders from the pro-rights U.S. Episcopal Church to the same summit.

"The whole issue of homosexuality is evil," said Robert Rujuga, 47, who attends All Saints Church in Kampala.

"Our leaders have done the right thing to boycott that conference and if possible they should secede from the Western Anglican Church," he added.

Rujuga, a life-long Anglican, said he had "never seen such a dark moment in the church."

The Anglican Communion of 77 million followers worldwide has yet to recover from a rift between liberals and conservatives that emerged when openly gay U.S. bishop Gene Robinson was consecrated in 2003.

The row threatens to tear apart the 400-year-old church. This week Kenya's Anglican bishops were the latest to say they would boycott the Lambeth meeting. Bishops from Sydney, Australia, are also expected to skip the summit.

Senkubuge Siyasya, a prominent comedian on a local radio station, favoured a split in the church.

"If western churches do not stop promoting this practice, then it is time for the church to split," he said after a service at Uganda's biggest Anglican church, Namirembe Cathedral.

As the faithful flocked to Eucharist on Sunday, the Anglican church's stance on same-sex relationships was being discussed on Kampala's Christian radio stations.

The Anglican Secretary of Uganda's Central province, Aaron Mwesigye, forecast doom if the liberals did not repent.

"If they don't change and continue supporting homosexuality and same-sex marriage our relationship will be completely broken," he told the Daily Monitor newspaper.

Uganda is predominantly Christian with more than 8 million Anglicans. The east African country does not recognise gay rights, and homosexuality is considered a criminal offence, punishable by life imprisonment.

Under Ugandan laws homosexuals may be charged under "unnatural offences" in section 140 of the penal code.