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Muhoozi consecrated as North Ankole diocese bishop 

Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu introduces Rev Alfred Muhoozi to the congregation after being consecrated as the third bishop of North Ankole diocese at Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere in Kiruhura district on May 26, 2024. PHOTO/ FELIX AINEBYOONA 

What you need to know:

  • President Museveni who was the chief guest and represented by the Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo asked the Church to promote wealth creation programmes. 
  • The ceremony was presided over by Archbishop Church of Uganda.
  • Muhoozi is the third Ankole North bishop since it's creation in 2003.

Rev Alfred Muhoozi has been consecrated and enthroned as the new bishop of the North Ankole Diocese.
He became the third bishop of the diocese that was created in 2003 and covers only Kiruhura and Kazo districts.

Muhoozi whose consecration happened on Sunday at Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere in Kiruhura District replaced Bishop Stephen Namanya who was the second Bishop after taking over from Nathan Muhanguzi, the founder bishop in 2015.

Muhoozi who was born on October 9, 1972, to the late James Parker Byempaka and Ms Constance Tushemererwe in the current Kazo sub-county (formerly Nyabushozi County), worked as a court clerk for the Kazo sub-county for years.

He had worked in Rwemikoma archdeaconry as the archdeacon in Kazo District and by the time of his enthronement as the bishop of North Ankole, he was the archdeacon of Kinoni archdeaconry in Kazo District.

At the consecration ceremony, presided over by Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Bishop Muhoozi said their focus is on nurturing the young generation with Christian values that will help them grow into responsible citizens.
“We shall make it our major duty to nurture and train the younger generation in Christian values, virtues, and etiquette. This will be done majorly by supporting youth programmes, innovations, and fellowships that come under the umbrella of North Ankole Anglican Youth Missioners (NAAYM),” he said.

He underscored the need to fight household poverty in the diocese by educating and encouraging Christians to engage in income-generating activities, especially agricultural and business innovations with value addition.

“Our leadership will establish a department for commercialized farming comprising agricultural officers, veterinary officers, and extension workers. A strategic plan will be developed with phased implementation approaches,” he said.
He said he will emphasize education for all with a focus on the most disadvantaged children.

“For all children, education is the most reliable gateway to opportunities, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, education has got to be of good quality and must be accessible to all,” he said.
He reminded Christians of their role to protect the environment to make the world a better place to live in as the encroachment on ecosystems increases.

“We need water for our animals, domestic use, use in the factories, and irrigation. Therefore, we must protect the existing wetlands. We shall encourage tree planting through the provision of tree seedlings with the help of partners,” he said.
Rt Rev Mugalu asked Christians to support the new bishop for the work of God to be manifested in the diocese.

The new Bishop of North Ankole diocese Alfred Muhoozi during his consecration at Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere in Kiruhura district on May 26, 2024.PHOTO/ FELIX AINEBYOONA

“I welcome you (Bishop Muhoozi) to the House of bishops and look forward to your contribution to building his Kingdom. May God adequately train you in this school because there is no school where you learn how to be a bishop,” he said.

Archbishop Kaziimba asked the new bishop to listen to his predecessors to lead the diocese in the right manner.
He appealed to North Ankole Christians and the congregation to be united and support their new bishop. 

Bishop Muhoozi’s predecessor, Namanya said there is still a need to encourage girl child education in the two districts since marrying off young girls in the diocese still manifests.
President Museveni who was the chief guest and represented by the Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo asked the Church not to be limited to evangelism, teaching, and discipleship to fulfill the work of God but rather mobilize communities and make them active participants in programmes that help them solve common problems that affect their well-being.

“Our people should, therefore, be sensitized to work hard and improve food security, and household incomes. Every family must wake up and join a commercial agriculture campaign aimed at transforming agriculture and subsistence to commercial profit-oriented agriculture,” he said.

According to the president, the Church has supplemented government efforts in raising people's living standards by providing literacy and skills through religious-founded institutions, universities, and schools and promoting of good health through church-founded hospitals.

Rt Rev Alfred Muhoozi (C) receives a gift of a car from President Museveni presented by VP Jessica Alupo 

He said despite the government’s efforts in fighting poverty in the country, there’s still a big number of Ugandans suffering because of failing to embrace commercialized agriculture.

“The Church leadership in collaboration with the government representatives and members of parliament can help the nation to make these programmes and initiatives to become a practical reality. The government will continue to work for the maintenance of bills in the whole of Uganda and also put the necessary infrastructure in place as a way of facilitating the country's development,” he said.

The function was attended by most of the bishops of the Church of Uganda, Area Members of Parliament, high-ranking officers in Government, and Christians from the Ankole sub-region.
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