Supreme Court Justice Faith Mwondha has been appointed a lay canon in the Church of Uganda (COU) Lango Diocese and assigned the role of contributing towards the peace and reconciliation process in northern Uganda.

The revelation by Lango Diocese Bishop Prof. Alfred Olwa was made during thanksgiving prayers organised for Mwondha at St Andrews Church in Jinja city on Saturday, March 16, 2024.

Mwondha, who clocked the retirement age of 70 years that day, was thanking God for her life and 45 years as a civil servant.

The service was led by COU Archbishop Dr Stephen KaziImba Mugalu, who was assisted by bishops: Hannington Paul Ssuubi (East Busoga), Prof. Alfred Olwa (Lango Diocese) as well as St Andrews Church Vicar the Rev. Can. Tusuubira.

According to Prof. Olwa, the appointment took effect on March 1, 2024.

Justice Mwondha welcomed the assignment and vowed to use her legal knowledge and evangelism to guide the region in its pursuit of peace and reconciliation.

The Northern Uganda Reconciliatory Committee, which is led by Olwa, was recently appointed by Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny Dolo.

 According to the COU Provincial Constitution, each of the 39 dioceses’ is allowed to appoint 14 clergy as canons and 14 lay canons, who assist and guide the respective diocesan Bishops on various matters of their professions while executing their duties.

Constitutional review

Kaziimba also assigned Mwondha the duty to review the Church of Uganda Provincial Constitution.

Kaziimba was reacting to a concern by Mwondha, who wanted to know, why women of integrity and experience, are not nominated as Bishops by the House of Bishops in the Church of Uganda Province.

Archbishop Kaziimba, in response, said the COU constitution does not bar women clergy from being appointed bishops. However, he said a clause may be included in the amended constitution.

“We need to include in our canon laws, that a bishop is picked to specifically serve God, not attaining wealth, which has led some clergy into fighting for the positions,” Mwondha said.

She announced that her family and herself, will come up with an income-generating project to assist in raising funds for the running of activities in East Busoga, the newest diocese in the province of the Church of Uganda.

According to her, this way, the diocese can use proceeds from such a project to fund the running of the day-to-day affairs of the Church.

The ceremony was attended among others by Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo and his deputy Richard Buteera.

Background

Justice Mwondha was appointed a Grade One magistrate on December 30, 1978, but assumed duty on January 2, 1979. The appointment instrument was signed by the then president Idi Amin Dada.

She rose through the ranks to become a chief magistrate, High Court Judge, Judge of the Court of Appeal and later Judge of the Supreme Court.

However, before her appointment to the Constitutional Court/Court of Appeal, she served as the Inspector General of Government (IGG). She also participated in the making of the 1995 Constitution as a Constituent Assembly delegate for Butembe County in Jinja.