I danced to win youth back to church — Bishop Naimanhye

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The Bishop of Busoga Diocese, the Rt Rev. Dr Paul Samson Naimanhye, has defended his approach to revitalising the church by bringing youth back into active worship, including through music and dance.

Speaking during a farewell service at Christ’s Cathedral Bugembe on Sunday, July 20, Naimanhye, who is set to retire in December, responded to criticism from some Anglicans who accused him of sidelining the elderly in favour of the younger generation.

He said he had faced such criticism from the moment he was appointed Vicar of the cathedral in 2004. At the time, he added, the church was dull and disconnected from the youth, who had distanced themselves from it.

Upon his posting to the cathedral from Wairaka Church by the then Bishop of Busoga, the Rt Rev. Dr Michael Kyomya, Naimanhye said the congregation was largely made up of the elderly, and it would have been impossible for the church to grow without involving the younger generation.

“Some elderly people kept petitioning Kyomya that I was only focusing on the youth by ignoring them, forgetting that they were already inside, yet the youth were outside. I had to devise ways of bringing them inside,” he stressed.

To attract more young people, Naimanhye introduced vibrancy into worship, including the use of musical instruments. He said he often sang and danced with the youth, which helped grow their numbers.

“I used to dance, and people thought I loved dancing. Can I dance now? I was using my time appropriately. And the teachers know the youth, if you don’t dance, sing and learn together, they would just say, ‘this man is outdated’,” he said.

The assistant Vicar, the Rev. David Munobwa (left), Bishop of Busoga Diocese, the Rt Rev. Dr Paul Samson Naimanhye flanked by his wife Lydia bid farewell to the congregation at the cathedral on Sunday.

He acknowledged elderly members such as Kintu and Mukobe for supporting his efforts to bring the youth back to church.

Naimanhye also dismissed criticism that he preached for too long, saying the church had been too dull.

“Truth be told, the church was dull, and we couldn’t keep it down. The only way to preach God’s word was not by shouting, but speaking a lot, although they said I was opening my mouth,” he said.

He added that he had been prepared for a transfer if Bishop Kyomya had not appreciated the vibrancy he brought to the church, including empowering young people with leadership roles.

“If you want to lift something, you have to put vibe. When Jesus reached where Lazarus was buried, he commanded and this is what he did. I wasn’t mad. And if God spares me, I will keep preaching wherever I want,” he said.

Naimanhye commended the Jinja City Resident Commissioner, Richard Gulume, for his unwavering support, from the time he chaired his consecration committee up to his impending retirement.

In his homily, the bishop urged Christians to remain united and encouraged couples to love and cherish each other, stressing that families were the foundation of society.

“At times, couples change their minds, claiming that they made wrong choices based on appearance, yet we were not there on the first day you saw yourselves. Just love your partner the way they are—remain together,” he urged.

He also encouraged parents to prioritise the education of their children in traditional and church-founded schools, which he said were now regaining their former glory.

“Our enrolment is massive at Busoga College Mwiri, Wanyange Girls Senior School, and Mwiri Primary, with many more across the region. We need to uphold our schools because they are now back on track,” he said.

Meanwhile, his wife Lydia Naimanhye thanked the church for the love, care, and support they had shown to their family throughout his service.

She urged the congregation to continue loving their church, the clergy, and God.

The Rev Can Dr Joy Mukisa Isabirye praised Naimanhye for appointing her as Busoga’s first female dean and pledged to continue serving with purpose.

She outlined several projects completed during Naimanhye’s tenure, including the construction of a day and nursery school, a vicarage, and the ongoing construction of Mary’s House and a waterborne toilet.

Former Lands Minister Daudi Migereko applauded Naimanhye for maintaining peace and harmony in the church, which he said had been a key driver of community development and transformation.

Resident Commissioner Gulume noted that Naimanhye was leaving behind a revived church, both in terms of congregation and evangelism.

He also praised the bishop’s good working relationship with the government and his support for the NRM and its programmes.

“Our bishop is a peace lover, which is the foundation for development, and it is the reason he supports NRM and its programmes,” he said.

Naimanhye and his wife were received with pomp by Christians who lined up at the cathedral entrance as a brass band led the procession. However, the mood turned sombre as the service progressed, with some worshippers shedding tears as they bid farewell.

During the ceremony, Entebbe deputy resident district commissioner Hakim Kirigwa called on the House of Bishops to consider reviewing canon laws to allow capable clergy to continue serving beyond the retirement age.

Without naming anyone, Kirigwa drew comparisons with the ruling NRM party, which he said retained leaders of advanced age who were still capable of serving.

“Naimanhye is honey for the Basoga, and he is retiring when still strong enough to continue serving. I wish the House of Bishops revisits its laws to allow such leaders serve, as it is in our party,” Kirigwa said, drawing laughter from the congregation.

Enid Nabukwasi, an aspiring candidate for the Jinja City Woman MP seat on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket, presented a gift from Nathan Nandala Mafabi to Naimanhye and called for continued support for those who retire.

“I am a former public employee, but whenever one retires from service, our conversation stops at their send-off. We should inculcate the spirit of togetherness until one dies,” she said.