Thousands converge in Mbarara for spiritual awakening

PICTURE: Left to right: Retired Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe of South Ankole diocese and Bishop Sheldon Mwesigwa of Ankole Diocese at the event. Photo/ Abdulkarim Ssengendo

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to attend the celebrations of 80 years of East African revival movement in Ankore on Sunday.


The celebration which will last for seven days kicked off September 5 and it is celebrated under the theme "Christ our living hope".

Thousands of Christians from all walks of Ankole diocese and other parts of Uganda have camped at St. James Cathedral to attend crusades facilitated by evangelists from different dioceses including some from Rwanda and UK.

Retired Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi and his successor Stanley Ntagali graced the celebrations. About 10 Bishops from within and outside Uganda and three reverends from UK are also in attendance.

East African revival movement is an evangelical spiritual awakening movement that has become synonymous with the Anglican Church of Uganda, described as Okulokola (getting saved).

According to Bishop Sheldon Mwesigwa, Bishop of Ankole Diocese, revival was birthed in Gahini, Rwanda around 1931 and spread to Kigezi in 1935 and in 1936 to Ankole.

Preaching at the fourth crusade of the celebrations, the retired Archbishop, Orombi challenged Christians to stop sinning and instead uphold the values of revival movement and pass it on to the young generation.