Arua Diocese seeks sh3.4b to build modern elderly priests’ home

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The Catholic Diocese of is expediting the search for sh3.4b for the construction of the elderly priests’ home at Saints Peter and Paul Minor Seminary-Pokea.

Arua Diocese’s multi-billion-shilling retirement and nursing home at Pokea Minor Seminary in Arua City is expected to shelter and provide healthcare for its elderly and sickly priests.

Three years down the road since the idea of fundraising was conceived, about sh300m has so far been realised.

The project’s Central Organising Committee (COC) team is now set for the groundbreaking ceremony slated for June 27, 2026, during which they will launch a grand fundraising.

Speaking from the diocesan Chancery, Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki, the Arua diocesan bishop, said the project is necessary at this time in order to appreciate the works of the priests.

Bishop Odoki said the sh300m already at hand is good enough to start the project and to motivate Christians to continue supporting the project.

The launch of the elderly and sickly priests’ house project is expected to be graced by President Yoweri Museveni as the Guest of Honour, following an invitation from Bishop Odoki.

“The Minister of State for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, helped me to connect with the President and delivered my message. I have got the feedback that the President has received it and will answer in due course. So, I am sure he is going to be with us, and if not, he will send a representative,” Odoki said.

The project’s COC vice chairperson, Christopher Nyakuni, explained that caution shall be taken to ensure that the money realised for the project is used appropriately for the intended purposes.

“We are ensuring, as the central organising committee, that the little that we have in our account is used for the rightful purpose,” Nyakuni said.

Michael Kumakech, the finance technical person of the project, confirmed that the sh300m has been mostly collected through the approach of Jege Jege (collecting small amounts), an initiative that allows every person in the diocese to contribute.

“Much of the sh300m we have in the account has come from this project of jege jege”, Kumakech said.

The treasurer to the COC, Fiona Adania, said she has had first-hand experience with the suffering priests and called for sincere support towards the proposed retirement home for diocesan priests at Pokea Seminary.

“For us, when we retire, we go back to our villages, but when these priests retire, where do they go? I live with many of them and know how they suffer. It is, therefore, our responsibility to put up something for them,” Adania said.

Arua Catholic Diocese is the largest of all the Catholic dioceses in Uganda, with a population of about 2.5 million Catholics.

The Diocese of Arua currently has about 200 ordained priests, with some working within Uganda and others working abroad.

The initiative comes at a time when Arua Diocese is faced with the challenge of welfare needs of more than 30 elderly and sick priests, according to Odoki.

Currently, some of the elderly and sick priests are residing at the Christus Centre in Ediofe and Maracha Catholic Mission, where limited self-contained rooms are available.

Facts about the Project

The project shall accommodate at least 30 priests in spacious self-contained rooms, each with an independent porch/balcony.

Priests shall have a common room, dining and kitchen, sick bay (with two self-contained mini–Intensive Care Units and a nurse-in-charge room), as well as a ramp and stairs for easy movement within the facility.

A Chapel of about 40 seats, five units of two-bedroom staff houses, a playground (for physical exercise), and a borehole with a water pump powered by a solar system with overhead water tanks.

The home will be fenced and have Closed Circuit Television cameras, a generator house, offices and a meeting room for management, stores, and a waiting area for visitors.