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Former Sebei Bishop Augustine Salimo dies
Bishop Emeritus of Sebei Diocese Rt Rev Augustine Salimo. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
Rt Rev Augustine Salimo was the first Diocesan Bishop of Sebei and served from 1999 to 2015 when he retired aged 65 and was succeeded by Rev Paul Masaba
For a man who gave more than three quarters of his 70 years on earth to preaching the word of God, his death was always going to be difficult to take.
Born on May 1, 1949, Sebei Diocese’s Bishop Emeritus, the Rev Augustine Salimo, breathed his last on Saturday after a short illness. He had been admitted to Mengo Hospital in Kampala after developing intestinal complications on Easter Sunday.
When the news broke on Saturday morning, many people from Sebei Sub-region shared on social media platforms how the prelate – the first bishop of Sebei Diocese - had touched their lives in many ways. He served as bishop from 1999 to 2015.
“Sad news the retired bishop of Sebei Diocese the Rt Rev Augustine Salimo has gone to be with the Lord this morning,” Sebei Diocese Bishop Paul Kiptoo Masaba, who succeeded Bishop Salimo, posted on social media. He yesterday told his newspaper that his predecessor always preached love and togetherness, advocated for environmental conservation and put the girl child close to his heart.
Bishop Salimo’s daughter, Sisco C. Salimo, ran short of superlatives: “My friend, my first love, my spiritual guide, my prayer warrior, my superman, my daddy, how is this possible! You didn’t prepare me for this! I can’t take it daddy.”
His son, James Chelangat, said postmortem results indicated the retired bishop died as a result of intestinal obstruction.
“Doctors in Kapchorwa tried to operate on him but he reacted to the anaesthesia and suffered a cardiac arrest, so they referred us to Mbale from where we were referred to Mengo. When he was stabilsed, doctors did an X-ray and found out that his intestines were entangled and was scheduled for operation,” Mr Chelangat said yesterday.
“I don’t have a copy of the postmortem, but doctors said a complication reoccurred after he was operated on successfully on April 23,” he added.
Before falling ill, Bishop Salimo had joined the faithful at the Prayer Mountain in Kween District on Good Friday to seek divine intervention in the prolonged dry spell.
He had also preached at All Saints Church Kapchorwa for the midmorning Easter service and at Kawowo Church of Uganda for the afternoon service.
“We were together at the Prayer Mountain and he was okay. I assigned him together with the visiting Bishop of Maseno Diocese in Kisumu - Kenya, Francis Abweyo, to go to All Saints. Everything was fine and he invited faithful, friends and neighbours to his home for Easter celebrations, but I was shocked to receive news later that he had been admitted,” Bishop Masaba said.
The deceased’s brother, Joel Michael Chebet, said the man who started his journey to the pulpit as a Sunday school teacher, preached about love and forgiveness during the Easter sermon.
“Midway service at Kawowo Church of Uganda, he complained of a sharp pain. It was during lunch that it intensified and he was later taken to Kapchorwa hospital,” he said.
Bishop Salimo leaves behind 20 grandchildren, six children and a widow, Ms Zelda Salimo.
Vigil
A vigil is on tonight at the son’s home in Buwate, Wakiso, while the funeral service has been set for tomorrow at All Saints Church, Kampala, at 9am and thereafter his body will be taken for his final journey in Kapchorwa on Saturday.
