300 Anglicans want Church to halt Luweero bishop’s election

About 300 Christians have asked Church of Uganda to halt the election of a new bishop for Luweero Diocese. 

This comes days after sources told Monitor that  the search committee selected the names of Rev Abel Sserwanja, alias Mere Ewooma, and Canon Godfrey Kasana to replace the outgoing bishop.

On March 15, the committee camped at Hot Springs Villa, Kigo in Wakiso District and selected the names of Rev Sserwanja of St Stephen’s Church of Uganda in Kireka (Namirembe Diocese) and Canon Kasana, who is the Archdeacon of Ndejje.

Following the nomination, the two names are supposed to be forwarded to the House of Bishops ahead of the election of a new bishop for Luweero on April 1.  

The new bishop will replace the third bishop of Luweero Diocese Eridard Nsubuga Kironde, who will retire next month,  after clocking 65 years. 

His replacement is expected to be consecrated in July 2023 at St Mark’s Cathedral in Luweero. 
Four priests expressed interest in replacing Bishop Kironde. They are Rev Sserwanja, Canon Kasana, Rev Ibrahim Muyinda, the Vicar of Namirembe Diocese and Canon Geofrey Muwanguzi, the Provost at St Mark’s Cathedral in Luweero Diocese.

But on Tuesday, a section of Christians lodged their petition at the office of the Provincial Secretary Church of Uganda, saying the selection process is “invalid, irregular and unlawful." 

Monitor has seen the five-page petition, which the Provincial Secretariat acknowledged receipt of on March 21.

The petitioners claim Rev Sserwanja does not meet  requirements  on minimum age and pastoral experience of 45 years and 10 years respectively. 

They say he will mark a decade as a priest this December and that he was also not 45 years as required by the time he was nominated in February.

Petitioners said:  “A  witness to this whole process is ready to testify.”  

They want Archbishop Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu to intervene by disqualifying Rev Sserwanja’s candidature and banning “him from standing for the same position in Luweero and other dioceses,  and arranging  for fresh nomination of candidates by a new  and competent committee .

Mr Adams Sadiiki, the Church of Uganda spokesperson, declined to speak about the petition and referred this publication to the Provincial Chancellor, Rev Naboth Muhairwe.

However, Rev Muhairwe had not responded to our repeated phone calls by press time.
Meanwhile, some Christians are divided about the petition.  Some support the petitioners while others say they acted prematurely.

Mr Daniel Ssebandeke, a resident of Luweero Town Council, on Wednesday said the exercise to replace Bishop Kironde  is supposed to run smoothly. 

“I usually restrain myself from talking about God’s servants...We should not put our diocese at the centre of public debate about the personality of the priests. I pray that the disagreement is quickly settled,’’ he said.

 Ms Diana Namanda, a congregant at St. Mark’s Cathedral, the headquarters of Luweero Diocese, said her duty as a Christian is to pray and intercede for a peaceful selection process for a new bishop.

Ms Namanda added: “I have been congregating at the Cathedral for the last 45 years and witnessed the consecration of our pioneer, Bishop Misusera Bugimbi in 1991. I pray that we have a peaceful selection process.”