BISHOPS | WESTERN | FELLOWSHIP

KYAMATE - Church of Uganda South Ankole Diocese Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe has been elected Western Uganda Anglican Bishops Fellowship/retreat (2022-2023) chairperson. Ahimbisibwe replaces North Ankole Diocese Bishop Stephen Namanya.

Over 100 Bishops, including the incumbents and retired ones plus their spouses from the 14 dioceses of western Uganda, converged at South Ankole Diocese headquarters Kyamate Cathedral during their annual five-day retreat (November 16-20, 2022)

During the retreat, the bishops were residing at Ankole Resort & Spa! Where the election was also conducted and Bishop Ahimbisibwe went through unopposed!

New assignments

Kigezi diocese bishop emeritus George Bagamuhunda was also voted as the new co-ordinator, replacing West Ankole Diocese Bishop emeritus William Magambo. North West Ankole diocese Bishop Amos Magezi was voted into the office of general secretary.

The visiting bishops commended Ahimbisibwe and his spouse, Mama Lillian, for being hard-working because of the speed at which the diocese is developing.

Church projects toured

The team toured the projects being undertaken by the diocese including a coffee plantation sitting on 23 hectares at Kyamate hill, a fishpond project, a coffee factory which is under construction at the diocese, a modern coffee plantation at Rwenanura COU and its Banana plantation, among other income generating projects in the south ankole diocese.

Ankole Diocese Bishop Dr Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa said he is proud of Ahimbisibwe’s activeness as a person who released to him some of his two archdeaconries of Kyamate and Itojo to form South Ankole Diocese.

Mwesigwa also lauded Bishop Yona Katonene who also agreed and released his Kitunga and Rubare archdeaconries to form South Ankole Diocese in January 2012.

Bishops after concluding their fellowship and church service at St. Mathew Cathedral Kyamate on Sunday. (All Photos by Rwambuka Mugisha)

Other visits

The bishops also visited the homes of diocesan vice-chancellor counsel Justus Karuhanga and diocesan head of laity Dr Bildard Baguma at his ancestral home in Rwashamaire T/C-Kajara.

The five days fellowship, which was under the theme: Hope Beyond Affliction, was concluded on Sunday with a church service presided over by Bishop Stephen Namanya at St Mathew Cathedral Kyamate Church.

The function was attended by Ntungamo RDC Geoffrey Mucunguzi, deputy RDC Robert Nuwamanya Kamuntu, diocesan chancellor Stephen Tashobya, Karuhanga, Godfrey Tumwine Kanuma the head diocesan development pillars and Baguma, among others.

The bishops and their wives, included Namanya, Mwesigwa, Rukirande, Nathan Kyamanywa, Benezeri Kisembo, Eliphaz Mali, William Magambo, Katonene, Zebedde Masereka, Enoch Kayeye, George Bagamuhunda, George Katwesigye and Jackson Nzerebende.