Church of Uganda elects two new bishops

By Francis Emorut

The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda has elected two new bishops to serve in West Lango and North Mbale dioceses.

Rev. Canon Samuel Gidudu was elected as the fourth Bishop of the North Mbale Diocese while Venerable Canon Alfred Acur Okodi will be the first Bishop of West Lango Diocese.

The election of the new bishops was announced by the Archbishop Church of Uganda, Rev. Stanley Ntagali during the House of Bishops meeting, according to a press statement released by the spokesperson of Church of Uganda Rev. Canon Alison Bafoot.

The meeting was held at Lweza Training Conference Centre off Entebbe road on Thursday.

 The consecration of the two bishop’s elects will be held on October 19 and November 16 this year.

Bishop-elect: Venerable Canon Alfred Acur Okodi (left) and Rev. Canon Samuel Gidudu

Bishop-elect Okodi will be consecrated at St. Peter’s Protestant-Cathedral Aduku, and the inauguration of the new Diocese of West Lango will occur at the same time.

 Canon Gidudu will be consecrated at St. Mathew’s Cathedral, Buhugu in Sironko.

  Gidudu was born on June 6, 1968 at Bunamakongo sub-county, Sironko District. He was ordained in the Diocese of North Mbale in March 2002.

 Since 2010 Canon Gidudu has served as the Diocesan Secretary of North Mbale Diocese as well as the Sub-dean of St. Mathews Cathedral, Buhugu.

Prior, he served as the Vicar of St. Andrews Parish Church Mutufu.

Gidudu received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Uganda Christian University in 2009 after earning a Diploma in Theology from the same University in 2001.

  Gidudu is married to Esther Gidudu and they have three biological and two adopted children.

He will succeed the Rt. Rev. Bishop Daniel Gimadu.

 Venerable Okodi was born on December 25, 1954 in Alebtong District, and was ordained in 1991 at Aloi Archdeaconry headquarters.

 Since 2011 Okodi served as Vicar of St. Stephens Nsambya as well as Archdeacon of Kampala Southern Archdeaconry in Kampala Diocese.

Before this, he served as Assistant Vicar of All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, as well as Kampala Diocesan Mission Coordinator.

Okodi was awarded a Master of Arts degree in Missions from Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology in 1996 after obtaining  a Bachelor of Divinity Degree from the then Bishop Tucker Theological College, now Uganda Christian University.

He is married to Deborah Okodi.