Church of Uganda denies electing new Busoga bishop as fight to replace Naimanhye exposes bitter exchanges in camps

BUSOGA - The Church of Uganda (COU) has refuted claims of electing a new bishop of Busoga diocese.

A release by COU provincial secretary, the Rev. Can. William Ongeng, on Sunday, August 3, 2025, referred to the circulating information on social media on the matter as false.

There was brewing anxiety among Christians since Friday, after sources intimated that COU House of Bishops were expected to convene on Sunday to unveil the new bishop.

This was also evidenced on various social media platforms, especially WhatsApp, including that of Jinja city-based Christ’s Cathedral Bugembe, the main seat of the diocese.

Sources had suggested how the bishops would convene immediately after the consecration and enthronement of the Rev. Can. Joshua Kugonza as the 3rd bishop of Masindi-Kitara diocese at St Mathew’s Cathedral on Sunday to name the Busoga diocesan fourth bishop.

Accordingly, the curious Anglicans resolved to pitch camp at the cathedral for night prayers in jubilation for the new bishop who had earlier in the evening been elected pending official announcement from the House of Bishops.

However, at exactly 10:59pm, their happiness was short-lived when the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev. Can. Dr. Joy Mukisa Isabirye, shared a communication by Ongeng on the WhatsApp forum of the Cathedral family refuting the election.

The then loud vibe, which was descending from the hill seemed to have been switched off at once followed by the diminishing crowd as they disappeared in a blink of an eye.

In the release, Ongeng stated that no election of a bishop had taken place in Busoga diocese, as the information that was being circulated was false, which needed to be ignored with what he termed as ‘at most contempt it deserved’.

He described this as misleading information which was widely circulated.

“Church of Uganda has noted with concern false and misleading information circulating widely on social media alleging that a bishop has been elected for the diocese of Busoga today,” reads the first paragraph.

According to Ongeng, once an election took place and the name of the bishop-elect was duly confirmed, an official announcement would be made through authorised church communication channels.

Therefore, he urged all Church members, the media and general public to refrain from sharing or acting on unofficial and unverified information.

Naimanhye being served a cake by the Dean, the Very Rev. Can. Dr. Joy Mukisa Isabirye, during the farewell service at the cathedral on July 20, 2025. (Credit: Jackie Nambogga)

The retiring bishop and the fight to replace him

The Rev. Dr. Paul Samson Naimanhye, the current bishop, is slated to retire this December, and consequently, he began bidding farewell to his flocks.

Sources reveal that the race attracted three candidates, each having a cocoon that was exchanging bitterly on the cathedral platform on which Naimanhye belongs as administrators were kept on high alert, while deleting the uncalled statements for harmony.

In order to contain the situation, the Cathedral’s Dean was compelled to make a statement on the forum hailing Christians for showing concern about the new bishop.

Isabirye quoted Jeremiah 1:5, reminding them of how the new bishop had already been chosen even before his birth and implored them to engage in prayers.

Again, she cited Jeremiah 29:11, assuring how God had good plans for Busoga diocese to wipe away what she referred to as ‘negativity.

“Let us engage in prayers, I believe God has good plans for Busoga diocese, and he will wipe away all the negativity that is being circulated on social media,” she said.

This tentatively reduced the speed at which Christians were negatively perceiving the matter as they shared and forwarded content regarding who had been elected and rejected.

Like Isabirye, Ongeng also called upon all Christians in Busoga to remain calm, prayerful and united as the bishops continued to follow the due process for the election of the next bishop.

He said the church remained committed to a fair and transparent process that upholds the values and integrity of the church.

Naimanhye was elected by the house at Lweza training and conference centre on July 31, 2015.

He would later succeed the bishop emeritus, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Kyomya, who retired in January 2016, paved the way for Naimanhye’s consecration and enthronement held on January 24, 2016.

Born on December 24, 1960, Naimanhye holds a bachelor’s degree in divinity from Uganda Christian University and a diploma in business administration among other disciplines.