The long-standing misunderstanding between the conservative Provinces of the Anglican Church and the Church of England reached a climax last Friday (April 21) when the delegates of the 4th Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) in Kigali, Rwanda, resolved to break away from Canterbury. 

The 1,302 delegates from 52 countries of the world, including Uganda, dismissed the Archbishop of Canterbury, blaming him for supporting the approval of prayers for gay marriages, by the General Synod of the Church of England.

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu and his wife Margaret Naggayi Kaziimba (left) praising God during the morning service at their residence in Namirimbe on Sunday. February 23, 2023.

“We have recognized that the Archbishop of Canterbury has abdicated his historic place as the “First among Equals” among the Primates and Churches of the Anglican Communion, and we no longer recognize him as our leader. 

The Church of England’s General Synod decision to provide prayers of blessing same sex-unions and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthusiastic support for it are decisions we can’t recognize and have resulted in breaking fellowship with him and the Church of England. 

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu (left) prays for children during the morning service at his residence in Namirembe on Sunday, February 23, 2023.

We believe the Cairo Covenant, developed by the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, provides a much needed and ready-made alternative church structure for such a time as this. 

The Church of Uganda has adopted the Cairo Covenant and encourages all Bible believing Provinces to study it and do the same,” the Church of Uganda Archbishop, Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugslu wrote in a statement after the conference.

The Anglican Youth Fellowship gospel musical ministers in action during the morning service at the Archbishop's Palace in Namirembe on Sunday.

Conservative Christians have generally welcomed the news. But there are also many people who are skeptical about the ability of the local Church to move on without the financial and material support of the Anglican Provinces of Europe and America.

Delivering his remarks during the morning service at his palace in Namirembe on Sunday (April 23, 2023), Kaziimba re-assured Christians that Ugandans and Uganda will comfortably survive even without foreign aid.

Rev. Simon Peter Ddembelyayesu delivers his homily during the morning service at the Archbishop's Palace in Namirembe on Sunday, April 23, 2023. Right is sign language interpreter Olivia Nakigozi.

As a strategy for the survival of the local Church and the country, Kaziimba called for hard work and zero tolerance for corruption. 

If the country becomes corruption-free, Kaziimba argued, the countries resources even if they are little, will be shared equally and all people will be happy.

“God has blessed us with resources, particularly land. The foreigners will not dictate to us if we are people of means,” Kaziimba said.

The Church of Uganda Director of Mission and Outreach, the Rev. Simon Peter Ddembelyayesu also asked Christians to be firm in all situations because “God cannot abandon his people.”