TAKEAWAYS

• Grace Nakimera says she understands Gabie Ntaate’s experience of religious exclusion.
• Nakimera criticises the idea of some Christians acting as “gatekeepers” of the faith.
• She calls for churches to become places of comfort, support and unity, rather than humiliation and division.

Gospel musician Grace Nakimera has voiced support for fellow singer Gabie Ntaate following Ntaate’s recent emotional remarks about the criticism and exclusion she says she has faced from some Born Again Christians because of her Seventh-day Adventist faith.

Ntaate spoke about the issue during the recently concluded Gospel VIGA Awards, saying she has repeatedly been questioned about whether she is truly born again because she belongs to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She maintained that her faith is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ.

Nakimera said she understands Ntaate’s experience, arguing that some Christians have created what she described as a form of gatekeeping within the Born Again community, with certain individuals assuming the authority to determine who belongs and who does not.

“There is a kind of discrimination in the Born Again faith where some people feel they are the gatekeepers. I don’t know where they get that authority from.”

The singer said she has also experienced similar treatment, particularly following her recent Power of Grace concert, where she performed both her gospel songs and some of her earlier secular hits. The concert brought together different chapters of her musical career.

Nakimera also recalled an incident in which a pastor allegedly called out a young girl in church and humiliated her over not wearing a bra.

“Some people don’t even have money for food, so how are they going to buy bras?”

According to Nakimera, such actions can push people away from church instead of offering them the comfort and support they need. She argued that church leaders should focus on helping people deal with their challenges rather than publicly embarrassing them.

She further said no individual should claim ownership of the church or impose personal standards on others, stressing that judgment ultimately belongs to God.

Nakimera’s comments come as Ntaate’s remarks continue to spark conversations about denominational differences, inclusion and the treatment of Christians from different traditions.