Phaneroo Ministries International has dismissed fresh attacks on its legal identity as part of a deliberate and sustained attempt to discredit its work, days after Apostle Grace Lubega unveiled plans to build a Shs200 billion cathedral in Kampala.
The statement, issued on 14th May, accuses unnamed individuals of weaponising official Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) documents to question the ministry’s legitimacy.
The church says these documents are being circulated online with the intent of misleading the public.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the statement reads. “We have also recently experienced attempts to compromise our email communications.”
The defence follows a wave of attention triggered by Lubega’s recent announcement during a Sunday service.
Standing before a packed congregation, the Phaneroo founder declared that a $55 million cathedral would rise at the ministry’s Naguru campus — funded entirely through faith and internal giving.
“I know people who have the money but don't have the faith,” Lubega told his followers.
“I know there is a young man in the ministry who doesn't have a job, but he is telling God, ‘I wanna give a million dollars.’ He doesn't have a job, ut he has the heart.”
The remark and the scale of the project have since stirred both awe and outrage online, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where the price tag was immediately compared to Uganda’s ongoing struggles with poverty, inadequate hospitals, and public infrastructure gaps.
“$55 million to build a church is just crazy,” wrote one user.
“That money is enough to set up a high-level hospital that can actually meaningfully change lives.”
Another weighed in with sarcasm: “Congratulations Phaneroo, $55M! It’s now a competition. Kakande yatukola bubi.”
Others defended the project, arguing that the church has the right to set its own spiritual agenda and that the scale of the vision reflected the faith of its followers.
“Apostle Grace Lubega only preaches to rich men and women! $55M remains too little for what many of us expected the cathedral to cost,” wrote @DrNuelMuhumuza.
In its statement, Phaneroo addressed growing speculation about its legal standing, insisting it is duly registered as a company limited by guarantee — a common structure for non-profit religious organisations — and holds valid licences to operate as a national NGO under Ugandan law.
“The information contained within these publicly shared documents is not new to our dedicated members and partners,” the church clarified.
Phaneroo attributed its rapid growth, both locally and internationally, to the “diligent and faithful stewardship” of the resources entrusted to it.
The planned cathedral, which would be among the most expensive church buildings ever proposed in Uganda, is being positioned as a monument to faith, divine excellence, and commitment.
Although no architectural designs or construction timelines have been made public, the announcement alone has reshaped public conversation around faith and wealth.
Lubega has not directly addressed the backlash but remains adamant that the vision will be fulfilled without bank loans or fundraising drives. For him, the project is not about affluence, but about belief.
Meanwhile, Phaneroo urged its members to stay focused and avoid being distracted by what it described as futile efforts to sow discord.
“We urge you not to be swayed,” the statement read. “We are confident that truth and integrity will ultimately triumph.”
As the $55 million vision continues to trend, the debate over spiritual ambition, public expectation, and social responsibility remains wide open — and far from resolved.