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The Catholic bishop of Kotido diocese, the Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu, is mourning the death of his mother that occurred on Wednesday.

Victoria Araro, affectionately called 'Toto Araro', died at the age of 92 after a short illness.

Bishop announced that sad news on a Catholic forum.

"As a church, we thank God for the time he has accorded her to serve the Lord,” Fr Robert Ecogu, the vicar general of Soroti catholic diocese, told New Vision on Thursday.

He also said a Requiem Mass will be held for the bishop's mother on Friday morning.

She will then be laid to rest on Saturday in Amotot village, Otuboi sub-county in Kalaki district.

Bishop Eibu, 53, has lost his mother a year after his consecration as the third bishop of Kotido in Uganda's east following his appointment by Pope Francis in October 2022.

He replaced Bishop Giuseppe Filippi, who clocked the retirement age.

Just before his consecretion, Eibu the last-born child of Araro and Joshua Emasu, credited his mother as having been the driving force of his success as a servant God.

He said at the time that his mother was "a prayerful woman who wished me well in my journey of priesthood", thanking God for having kept her alive to see his ascend to the helm of the Kotido diocese.

Bishop Eibu receiving blessings from his mother last year after his election as the third bishop of Kotido. (Credit: Godfrey Ojore)

He has now lost both his parents.

'Any mother's death a painful one'

Tributes having continued to flow following the news of Eibu's mother, with various religious leaders in Teso sharing their condolences.

“Soroti Anglican diocese stands with brother bishop Eibu during this difficult time of the death of your mother. We thank God for the time he has given her to live on earth. May her soul rest in peace,” said Bishop Kosea Odongo, the sixth bishop of Soroti diocese.

Bishop Mathew Omagor of Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) prayed for peace in the family of "my brother Bishop Eibu during this time of bereavement".

“A mother is sweet to everyone and her death at any age is painful. We as Pentecostals stand with him and his entire clan upon their loss," he said.