How unassuming Banja ascended to Namirembe

When news emerged on November 20, that the House of Bishops chose Banja over Rev Abraham Muyinda, the Vicar of Namirembe Cathedral, there was ecstasy at Luzira Archdeaconry, where the former has been serving as the archdeacon. Steven Mweruka, a churchgoer at the archdiocese, likened  Banja’s clinching of the coveted Namirembe bishop seat to the Old Testament story of how David, son of a commoner Jesse, whose job was to shepherd his father’s sheep, became the king of Israel after the death of his nemesis, King Saul. 

“God can lift you from dust and then you sit with the royal family. That’s what he has done to our Canon Banja,” Mweruka beamed. 

Beating the odds

When Banja’s name was forwarded to the House of Bishops, together with that of Muyinda, there were no prizes for guessing who the clear favourite to replace outgoing Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira was. Initially, Rev Canon Moses Kayimba, 50, had been the odds-on favourite, thanks to his proximity to Bishop Luwalira.

In his formative years, Kayimba served as a parish priest in Kibuye and Namasuba. Known for being a tranquil administrator,  Kayimba was later promoted to serve the archdeacon at the Mengo archdeaconry, where he is praised for mobilising funds that aided the construction of the perimeter wall, inter-alia. 

From Mengo, Luwalira dispatched Kayimba to West Buganda as a missionary; never mind that he had been serving as diocesan secretary. The positing of Kayimba to West Buganda was wildely interpreted as an indication of his ability to fit into Bishop Luwalira’s robes upon retirement.

In West Buganda, Kayimba has been working under Bishop Henry Katumba Tamale who, before becoming bishop in 2016, worked as Luwalira’s research and information assistant while doubling as parish priest of St Peter’s Church of Uganda, Kamuli. 

The interpretation, of many, was that Katumba was mentoring Kayimba to take over Namirembe.

Tables turned

But tables were turned when Kayimba didn’t make it to the final list that was forwarded to Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, the House of Bishops head. This sparked off outcry mainly from Anglicans who were supporting Kayimba and had positioned themselves for leadership positions in his administration.  

A petition from elders within Namirembe Diocese was lodged. The complainants alleged in the petition that the nomination process that resulted in Rev Banja and Rev Muyinda’s nomination was tainted with corruption, conflicts of interest, and unfairness.

Before, sources familiar with the vetting process said, a number of the candidates had not met the criteria for the office of the bishop. Some applicants, our sources that preferred anonymity such that they could speak freely said, had been implicated in wrangles with believers, maladministration of church funds and property, and lacked suitable academic documents. Upon doing background checks, it was also discovered that others had not served 10 years of priesthood.

Two-horse race shapes

Sunday Monitor understands that the most sticking issue was the academic credentials, with the nomination committee initially failing to decide on the academic criteria to be used. In the petition, the elders, who included some prominent businessmen in Kampala, challenged the process used to zero in on Can Banja and Rev Muyinda. The pair was deemed the best of the lot that had applied. 

Sources say Kaziimba had tilted towards redoing the whole process, but Frederick Mpanga—the Namirembe Diocese Chancellor—defended the decision to drop Kayimba on grounds that he had put in place campaign machinery for the seat, which is against the Canon laws.  

Another person who, sources say, was accused of overtly campaigning was Rev Edward Steven Kabanda, 53, who had thrown his hat in the proverbial ring.   

Although Kayimba was the early favourite, Kabanda—who had served in a number of positions, including as the curate of Namirembe Cathedral, assistant vicar of Nateete, and chaplain of Buddo Junior School—thought he had an outside chance. In his formative years, Kabanda worked as the parish priest of Kibiri Church of Uganda and St Rachael Church of Uganda, but he did not make the cut for Namirembe’s top seat.  

Banja close shave

On their part, Kayimba’s supporters in a rebuttal said Banja had campaigned, too. Mpanga, however, had no evidence to support the claim. The House of Bishops instituted a committee led by Rev Johnson Gakumba to look into the nomination process under Canon 3.7.30 of the provincial canons. But with time running out to find a replacement for Luwalira, the committee stuck with what Mpanga had decided. 

Banja is taking over the leadership of Namirembe Diocese amid divisions as some of Kayimba’s supporters remain aggrieved. When the House of Bishops announced that Banja was the winner, the incoming bishop recognised the divisions that had emerged as a result of the race. 

“The divisions and propaganda revealed a deeply divided Church leadership. My focus, once consecrated, will be to unite and heal Namirembe Diocese,” said Banja, adding that prayer will guide the church in overcoming the challenges and nurturing a sense of togetherness.  

“I urge my fellow clergy and believers to join hands with me for the good of Namirembe Diocese,” Banja, who has a Bachelor’s degree in Divinity from Makerere University and a post-graduate diploma in education from the same institution, further noted. 

Luwalira blueprint

Fourteen years ago, when he was taking over the leadership of Namirembe Diocese, Luwalira cast himself as an environmentalist in addition to promoting youth activities through the Church ranks. Being youthful was one of the reasons the majority of Anglican bishops who met to elect Samuel Balagadde Sekadde’s successor threw their weight behind Luwalira. Most of the aforesaid bishops were of a younger generation and they chose Luwalira who was 49 at the time. 

While Banja, aged 59, can’t be described as a youth, he has made it clear that he will continue with the retiring bishop’s agenda.

“There are many things that my lord, the Right Reverend Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, has done. He has done a lot and there are so many other projects that are still ongoing and I’m ready to go with them,” Banja, who was diocesan secretary for the Mukono Diocese before going to Luzira archdeacon, disclosed.    

When Luwalira was taking over at Namirembe Hill where Church of Uganda’s oldest diocese sits, he beat the more experienced duo of Rev Can Augustine Magala Musiiwufu, at the time the Dean of Namirembe Cathedral, and the highly positioned Diocesan Secretary, Rev Canon Nelson Kaweesa. Luwalira recognised straightaway that the duo had considerably better resumes. His success, he added back then, was down to God’s favour.

“This is not an honour, but a calling. It’s also a service and not leadership. There could have been better people than me, but the fact that I was chosen helps me understand the power of God,” Luwalira said at the time.

Banja, whose wife—Prof Olivier Nassaka Banja—is an Anglican clergy at the rank of Rev Can, echoed a similar message, insisting he is going to focus on evangelism.  

“It has been the will of God and I know [God] is going to work until the end,” Banja said, adding, “The first thing I’m going to do is to preach the gospel.  From the time I was called into the ministry, I committed myself to preaching the gospel. My job is to deliver people to heaven.”

If nothing catastrophic happens to him, the new bishop will serve for five years before retiring in 2028.

Former Bishops of Namirembe Diocese

1953-1965: Leslie Brown

1965-1984: Dunstan Nsubuga

1984-1994: Misaeri Kawuma

1994-2009: Samuel Balagadde Ssekadde

2009-2023: Wilberforce Luwalira

2023 - : Moses Banja