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Kumi Diocese wrangle escalates, clergy assaulted
Rev Charles Okunya, was elected by the House of Bishops in November last year but his appointment was nullified over disparity in his age.
Tension remains high in Church of Uganda Kumi Diocese after a team of more than 15 youth yesterday attacked the clergy at St Phillips Cathedral.
Kumi Diocese, which has 10 archdeaconries in the districts of Bukedea, Kumi, and Ngora, has been rocked by leadership fights after the consecration of Rev Charles Okunya, who was elected by the House of Bishops in November last year was nullified over disparity in his age.
Appeals by the Christians in support of Rev Okunya have not yielded much. Early this year, Christians protested, blocking church services until police intervention.
Yesterday, Rev Martin Ejeit, the archdeacon for St Phillips Cathedral Ngora, was beaten up, his son Bweseri Odeke suffered injuries on his head, while his younger son, remains admitted to Ngora Freda Carr Hospital.
Rev Ejeit told Daily Monitor that as he strolled to the church to organise for the first service he realised something strange among the youth who had cordoned off the church.
He said he ushered them inside the church but they refused. “I entered the vestry to put on our church attire, it is there that they stormed the vestry and pulled me out saying, I am the clergyman blocking Rev Okunya from being consecrated as Bishop,” he said.
“They assaulted me several times, saying they are ready to kill me,” Rev Ejeit said.
The prelate said he received information on Saturday that a team of youth from Kumi was being prepared to assault the church and block services, but he took it lightly.
Rev Ejeit said later a team of Christians, came to his rescue.
Mr Bweseri Odeke, the son of Rev Ejeit said he noticed danger at 6am when he went with his father to the church, only to encounter strange faces of youth smelling liquor. “They told me not to open the church because there would be no prayers at St Phillips,” he said.
“I shoved my father off me, I told him to run for his life, as one other youth pulled out a sharp instrument, resembling a knife.
Christians made an alarm, some of the people who attacked the church took off, while others stayed the fight,” he said.
Ms Jessica Ejeit, wife of Rev Ejeit, said it took the intervention of police for normality to return.
Rev Sam Opolot, the chaplain of Ngora Parents SS, said he was also assaulted, adding that more than eight Christians who had turned up for prayers suffered severe assaults.
Mr Opolot said the church is under tribulation since last year when Bishop Thomas Edison Irigei retired leading to the botched election of Rev Okunya.
“It is as shame to the Church, these youth are also attracting curses onto themselves,” he added.
