KIBWETEERE, Joseph

Joseph Kibweteere co-founded the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God with Credonia Mwerinde, leading to one of Africa's deadliest cult tragedies when over 700 followers died in Uganda in 2000. A former school administrator and politician, Kibweteere transformed from respected educator to apocalyptic cult leader.

Born in southwestern Uganda, Kibweteere initially worked in education and local politics before experiencing religious visions in the 1980s that convinced him of an impending apocalypse. He partnered with Mwerinde, who claimed to receive messages from the Virgin Mary, to establish a strict religious community emphasizing the Ten Commandments and preparing for the end times.

The movement attracted thousands of followers through promises of salvation and claims of miraculous healings. Kibweteere imposed harsh restrictions on members, including vows of silence, celibacy, and surrender of personal property. The group's apocalyptic beliefs intensified as predicted dates for the world's end passed without fulfillment.

On March 17, 2000, hundreds of followers were killed in a fire at their Kanungu compound, with evidence suggesting mass murder rather than mass suicide. Kibweteere's fate remains unknown, with Ugandan authorities believing he either died in the fire or fled the country. The tragedy exposed the vulnerability of impoverished communities to apocalyptic movements during times of social upheaval.