Sebuhinja ready to tend the Kisoro flock
Jan 12, 2003
In 1966 a teen-aged David Sebuhinja dropped out of a junior secondary school due to lack of tuition fees. His dreams of ever attaining advanced education and a higher social status dwindled.
By Jossy Muhangi
In 1966 a teen-aged David Sebuhinja dropped out of a junior secondary school due to lack of tuition fees. His dreams of ever attaining advanced education and a higher social status dwindled.
Little did he know that he would one time occupy the highest office in the Anglican diocese of Muhabura. Sebuhinja settled for a teaching job although without professional training, at Kabindi Primary school in his home area.
He was spotted by a local parish priest Reverand Zephania Serukyari and a lay reader Samuel Ntahobari who convinced him to join church ministry. The greying Sebuhinja says: “God used the two men to talk to me and I reluctantly yielded to sitting entry examinations which I passed very well and got admitted to Canon Barham Divinity School. Here he did a two-year course leading to a lay leaders certificate.
Sebuhinja was immediately posted to Gitovu parish as a lay leader but a year later in 1970 he was admitted to Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono for an ordination course which he completed in 1972. The deacon was posted to Rwenzori diocese under Bishop Rwakaikara, to serve as a missionary in Kitojo, Kasese.
For his impressive work, Sebuhinja was selected to return to Mukono for a diploma course in Theology awarded by Makerere University between 1975-77. He was later promoted to Principal of bishop Balya Theological college in Kabarole where he trained a handful of priests. Sebuhinja headed the institution for five years up to 1983 October when he went for further studies in at Trinity College Bristol in England where he spent three years to return with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology.
Sebuhinja returned as tutor at Barham College Kabale where he had initially trained as a lay leader.
For the next three years, Sebuhinja happily taught at the college grooming the clergy until 1990 when the new diocese of Muhabura was born, breaking away from the Greater Kigezi. He was recalled to his mother diocese as a pioneer Education Secretary a position he held for two years before being promoted to Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Four years later in 1997, Sebuhinja was elevated to the office of the Diocesan secretary.
Last year the Synod’s electoral college submitted his name as one of the two candidates for Bishop to succeed the retiring Ernest Shalita. The House of Bishops elected Sebuhinja in 2001 and confirmed him in November 2002 against the man he succeeded as a diocesan Secretary Can. Wilson Baganizi. Baganizi has been at the Provincial headquarters in Kampala.
Sebuhinja married his wife Marion in 1978. He boasts of several achievements through his career as an education secretary, the dean and lately a secretary.
He started a project to promote the Batwa race in Kisoro, Rutaka Health centre the housing project including Faith Hostel, Mukateete Primary School as well as improving and expanding the Cathedral block as well as furnishing it among others.
The father of five children three boys and two girls, Sebuhinja was born in a remote part of present day Kisoro in 1947. His parents, the late Mzee Zaakayo Mpakaniye and Esteeri of Rwaramba parish were peasants. Sebuhinja went to Waramba Church of Uganda in 1956 for Primary one, and later attended Seseme primary school and Seseme Junior Secondary school in 1966. The former district chairman Canon John Bitunguramye was one of his best teachers who he says helped to shape him into the person he is today. “One time Canon Bitunguramye was transferred from Seseme Boys to Seseme Girls and I had to change schools in order to follow him due to his superb teaching methods,†recalls the clergyman whose election has stirred controversy in the 12 year old Diocese.
The head of Ankole diocese Bishop Elisha Kyamugambi who had the privilege of studying together with Sebuhinja at the Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono describes the bishop-elect as a strong faithful servant of Christ who listens and respects everybody.
Kyamugambi also doubles as the co-chairman Consecration committee for Sebuhinja.
Kyamugambi further affirms that Sebuhinja is widely known for being friendly and a vibrant evangelist who has mastered the methods of preaching effectively to cause conversion of people’s hearts. “We in the church have not known of any sin in him. He is a practical man who is out for viable projects and evangelical exercise, the reason he has climbed all ladders in the church leadership,†concludes Kyamugambi.
To Bishop Emeritus Ernest Shalita who is largely being accused by anti Sebuhinja project, of having ulterior motives in naming his successor, Sebuhinja is the right man in the right place. “I have worked closely with Sebuhinja as a dean, education secretary and an administrator/diocesan secretary since the inception of the diocese in 1990. I have found him active and an effective administrator who ran the diocese whenever I would be out of the country, “ he stresses.
He is a man of faith and stands out as the best among the clergy, adds Shalita, he offers pastoral care and is a man of faith. Besides, says Sharita, Sebuhinja has amassed rich experience as a principal of a theological college in Rwenzori, a tutor at Barham college Kabale, a parish priest and a chairman of all the clergy in Muhabura. He asserts that his opponents have no genuine reason to advance against the Sebuhinja consecration.
But to Dr. Philemon Mateke the long time head of laity and political boss of Kisoro district, Shalita only wants to use Sebuhinja as his stooge to perpetuate his influence on the affairs of the diocese.
He insists that the archbishop set up a committee of inquiry into the reasons against Sebuhinja and all the findings were clear as well as advice from the chancellor of the province to seek an alternative but all that has been ignored.
Sam Byibesho the Kisoro mayor shares Mateke’s views and labels Sebuhinja a who cannot make plans without the input of Shalita his mentor.
Other people accuse Sebuhinja of having connived with Shalita to siphon the diocesan resources to build a commercial house for Shalita as a retirement gift. Whatever the opposition, a decision has been upheld to consecrate Sebuhinja as Muhabura’s second bishop on January 19, 2003.
In 1966 a teen-aged David Sebuhinja dropped out of a junior secondary school due to lack of tuition fees. His dreams of ever attaining advanced education and a higher social status dwindled.
Little did he know that he would one time occupy the highest office in the Anglican diocese of Muhabura. Sebuhinja settled for a teaching job although without professional training, at Kabindi Primary school in his home area.
He was spotted by a local parish priest Reverand Zephania Serukyari and a lay reader Samuel Ntahobari who convinced him to join church ministry. The greying Sebuhinja says: “God used the two men to talk to me and I reluctantly yielded to sitting entry examinations which I passed very well and got admitted to Canon Barham Divinity School. Here he did a two-year course leading to a lay leaders certificate.
Sebuhinja was immediately posted to Gitovu parish as a lay leader but a year later in 1970 he was admitted to Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono for an ordination course which he completed in 1972. The deacon was posted to Rwenzori diocese under Bishop Rwakaikara, to serve as a missionary in Kitojo, Kasese.
For his impressive work, Sebuhinja was selected to return to Mukono for a diploma course in Theology awarded by Makerere University between 1975-77. He was later promoted to Principal of bishop Balya Theological college in Kabarole where he trained a handful of priests. Sebuhinja headed the institution for five years up to 1983 October when he went for further studies in at Trinity College Bristol in England where he spent three years to return with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology.
Sebuhinja returned as tutor at Barham College Kabale where he had initially trained as a lay leader.
For the next three years, Sebuhinja happily taught at the college grooming the clergy until 1990 when the new diocese of Muhabura was born, breaking away from the Greater Kigezi. He was recalled to his mother diocese as a pioneer Education Secretary a position he held for two years before being promoted to Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Four years later in 1997, Sebuhinja was elevated to the office of the Diocesan secretary.
Last year the Synod’s electoral college submitted his name as one of the two candidates for Bishop to succeed the retiring Ernest Shalita. The House of Bishops elected Sebuhinja in 2001 and confirmed him in November 2002 against the man he succeeded as a diocesan Secretary Can. Wilson Baganizi. Baganizi has been at the Provincial headquarters in Kampala.
Sebuhinja married his wife Marion in 1978. He boasts of several achievements through his career as an education secretary, the dean and lately a secretary.
He started a project to promote the Batwa race in Kisoro, Rutaka Health centre the housing project including Faith Hostel, Mukateete Primary School as well as improving and expanding the Cathedral block as well as furnishing it among others.
The father of five children three boys and two girls, Sebuhinja was born in a remote part of present day Kisoro in 1947. His parents, the late Mzee Zaakayo Mpakaniye and Esteeri of Rwaramba parish were peasants. Sebuhinja went to Waramba Church of Uganda in 1956 for Primary one, and later attended Seseme primary school and Seseme Junior Secondary school in 1966. The former district chairman Canon John Bitunguramye was one of his best teachers who he says helped to shape him into the person he is today. “One time Canon Bitunguramye was transferred from Seseme Boys to Seseme Girls and I had to change schools in order to follow him due to his superb teaching methods,†recalls the clergyman whose election has stirred controversy in the 12 year old Diocese.
The head of Ankole diocese Bishop Elisha Kyamugambi who had the privilege of studying together with Sebuhinja at the Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono describes the bishop-elect as a strong faithful servant of Christ who listens and respects everybody.
Kyamugambi also doubles as the co-chairman Consecration committee for Sebuhinja.
Kyamugambi further affirms that Sebuhinja is widely known for being friendly and a vibrant evangelist who has mastered the methods of preaching effectively to cause conversion of people’s hearts. “We in the church have not known of any sin in him. He is a practical man who is out for viable projects and evangelical exercise, the reason he has climbed all ladders in the church leadership,†concludes Kyamugambi.
To Bishop Emeritus Ernest Shalita who is largely being accused by anti Sebuhinja project, of having ulterior motives in naming his successor, Sebuhinja is the right man in the right place. “I have worked closely with Sebuhinja as a dean, education secretary and an administrator/diocesan secretary since the inception of the diocese in 1990. I have found him active and an effective administrator who ran the diocese whenever I would be out of the country, “ he stresses.
He is a man of faith and stands out as the best among the clergy, adds Shalita, he offers pastoral care and is a man of faith. Besides, says Sharita, Sebuhinja has amassed rich experience as a principal of a theological college in Rwenzori, a tutor at Barham college Kabale, a parish priest and a chairman of all the clergy in Muhabura. He asserts that his opponents have no genuine reason to advance against the Sebuhinja consecration.
But to Dr. Philemon Mateke the long time head of laity and political boss of Kisoro district, Shalita only wants to use Sebuhinja as his stooge to perpetuate his influence on the affairs of the diocese.
He insists that the archbishop set up a committee of inquiry into the reasons against Sebuhinja and all the findings were clear as well as advice from the chancellor of the province to seek an alternative but all that has been ignored.
Sam Byibesho the Kisoro mayor shares Mateke’s views and labels Sebuhinja a who cannot make plans without the input of Shalita his mentor.
Other people accuse Sebuhinja of having connived with Shalita to siphon the diocesan resources to build a commercial house for Shalita as a retirement gift. Whatever the opposition, a decision has been upheld to consecrate Sebuhinja as Muhabura’s second bishop on January 19, 2003.