Ssekadde agrees to hand over diocese
Mar 02, 2009
THE Outgoing Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, Samuel Balagadde Ssekadde, has agreed to hand over the diocese on Sunday as directed by the Archbishop, Henry Luke Orombi.
By Anthony Bugembe
THE Outgoing Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, Samuel Balagadde Ssekadde, has agreed to hand over the diocese on Sunday as directed by the Archbishop, Henry Luke Orombi.
Sources at St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe said preparations for the hand- over were in advanced stages.
In a letter of February 23, Barnabas Tumusingize, the provincial chancellor, requested Ssekadde to hand over the diocese to Orombi during the 10:00am service on Sunday at the cathedral.
During the service, Ssekadde is expected to read and sign his oath of abdication, a sign of giving up responsibility.
Contacted on phone yesterday, Ssekadde confirmed receiving the communication.
“Wait for Sunday. Come to Namirembe on Sunday,†Ssekadde told The New Vision before switching off his phone.
The provincial constitution requires all bishops to retire upon attaining the age of 65.
Ssekadde became 65 on January 31, 2009.
Last year, he started bidding farewell to the Christians, an activity that was scheduled to go on until December 6, 2009 when he was expected to officially retire.
However, a section of the Christians opposed Ssekadde’s continued stay in the diocese.
They accused him of mismanaging diocesan property.
In a December 2007 interview with Sunday Vision, Ssekadde said his main mission was to unite the Christians.
“Many Christians were scattered by the mushrooming churches. I brought them back,†Ssekadde said.
Sam Njuba, a former chancellor of the diocese and the Church of Uganda Provincial Assembly between the 1970s and 1990’s, said the diocese had the responsibility of arranging for the consecration of a new bishop.
He noted that as chairman of the House of Bishops, Orombi had the right to issue instructions to any bishop.
“However, there should be a smooth hand-over as has always been the case. There appears to have been some internal conflicts. That explains the leaking of a confidential letter to the bishop to the press,†he noted.
Last month, the Reverend Canon Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, the Vicar of Namirembe, was elected the new bishop.
He is expected to be consecrated on May 31, 2009.
Luwalira becomes the 5th bishop of the 49-year-old diocese, the oldest in Uganda.
He is also the fourth African Bishop of Namirembe Diocese.
Ssekendde succeeded Bishop Misaeri Kawuma in 1994.
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Who is Ssekadde?
- Born on January 31, 1944 to Michael and Terefina Kyobe of Kitekannya village in Luweero district
- Married to Allen with six children
- Studied in Semuto preparatory School, Ndejje SS, Lubiri SS, Iganga Teachers College, Makerere University (BA Social Work and Social Administration) and Birmingham University (MA in Development Administration)
- Joined Christian ministry in 1968 at the age of 24. He had pastoral training at Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono and Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, Zambia
THE Outgoing Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, Samuel Balagadde Ssekadde, has agreed to hand over the diocese on Sunday as directed by the Archbishop, Henry Luke Orombi.
Sources at St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe said preparations for the hand- over were in advanced stages.
In a letter of February 23, Barnabas Tumusingize, the provincial chancellor, requested Ssekadde to hand over the diocese to Orombi during the 10:00am service on Sunday at the cathedral.
During the service, Ssekadde is expected to read and sign his oath of abdication, a sign of giving up responsibility.
Contacted on phone yesterday, Ssekadde confirmed receiving the communication.
“Wait for Sunday. Come to Namirembe on Sunday,†Ssekadde told The New Vision before switching off his phone.
The provincial constitution requires all bishops to retire upon attaining the age of 65.
Ssekadde became 65 on January 31, 2009.
Last year, he started bidding farewell to the Christians, an activity that was scheduled to go on until December 6, 2009 when he was expected to officially retire.
However, a section of the Christians opposed Ssekadde’s continued stay in the diocese.
They accused him of mismanaging diocesan property.
In a December 2007 interview with Sunday Vision, Ssekadde said his main mission was to unite the Christians.
“Many Christians were scattered by the mushrooming churches. I brought them back,†Ssekadde said.
Sam Njuba, a former chancellor of the diocese and the Church of Uganda Provincial Assembly between the 1970s and 1990’s, said the diocese had the responsibility of arranging for the consecration of a new bishop.
He noted that as chairman of the House of Bishops, Orombi had the right to issue instructions to any bishop.
“However, there should be a smooth hand-over as has always been the case. There appears to have been some internal conflicts. That explains the leaking of a confidential letter to the bishop to the press,†he noted.
Last month, the Reverend Canon Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, the Vicar of Namirembe, was elected the new bishop.
He is expected to be consecrated on May 31, 2009.
Luwalira becomes the 5th bishop of the 49-year-old diocese, the oldest in Uganda.
He is also the fourth African Bishop of Namirembe Diocese.
Ssekendde succeeded Bishop Misaeri Kawuma in 1994.
-------------------------------------------
Who is Ssekadde?
- Born on January 31, 1944 to Michael and Terefina Kyobe of Kitekannya village in Luweero district
- Married to Allen with six children
- Studied in Semuto preparatory School, Ndejje SS, Lubiri SS, Iganga Teachers College, Makerere University (BA Social Work and Social Administration) and Birmingham University (MA in Development Administration)
- Joined Christian ministry in 1968 at the age of 24. He had pastoral training at Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono and Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, Zambia