Kitgum Bishop receives car donation from President Museveni

KITGUM-The long-awaited vehicle donated by President Yoweri Museveni to the Diocese of Kitgum bishop, the Rt. Rev. Wilson Kitara has finally arrived.

Kitgum resident district commissioner (RDC), Christopher Omara, handed over the grey Mitsubishi, with registration number UBE 846Z, to the bishop at All Saints Cathedral Mican near the town on Sunday.

Kitgum municipal Member of Parliament, Beatrice Anywar together with many jubilant Christians witnessed the brief ceremony.

The Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, on behalf of the President, first handed over the vehicle to Bishop Kitara on the day of his consecration and enthronement on November 25th, last year, but the vehicle was taken back to Kampala for registration of log book and number plate.

However, the delay in the process since then led to some section of residents in Kitgum town to spin rumours that the donation could have been a hoax.

New Vision learnt that the President seemed surprised when he asked Bishop Kitara as they greeted during Tarehe Sita celebration whether he had received "war tyeni" (Luo words, meaning ‘shoes'), to which the prelate said he did but it was returned for registration but had not yet been brought back. He reportedly instructed a lady seated near him to take note and follow up the matter.

"This now puts to rest rumours and doubts that have been circulating around that the donation was a false promise. His Excellency the President cannot deceive a whole bishop," said Omara, during the handover.

The RDC urged the bishop to use the means of transport to mobilise his flock to engage in meaningful production and income generating activities so as to combat the biting poverty that was still rampant in the diocese.

He also called on Christian leaders to mobilise their flock to actively take part in and benefit from the various government programmes like Operation Wealth Creation, NUSAF, Youth Livelihood Project, Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme, etc., aimed at eradicating poverty.

Bishop Kitara thanked the president for the gift, saying it would go a long way to help him reach out to the various parts of the diocese, not only to preach the gospel of Christ but to also moblise the Christians to embrace development and fight poverty.

The bishop said the transport means would now enable him move from parish to parish to promote reconciliation among Christians.

"You know one of my ‘to do' list in the Bishop's Charge was to promote reconciliation among Christians, given what had happened in the diocese in the past. So this vehicle will now help me to move around to preach reconciliation and harmonious living," he said.