Namirembe Cathederal to be rebuilt
Dec 02, 2010
NAMIREMBE Cathedral has hired a consultancy firm to assess the amount of renovation needed for the 95-year-old church building.
By Cecilia Okoth
NAMIREMBE Cathedral has hired a consultancy firm to assess the amount of renovation needed for the 95-year-old church building.
The current building, which is the 4th church and the 3rd cathedral on Namirembe hill, is dilapidated and at risk of collapsing.
The Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Wilberforce Kityo Luwulira, said KK Consulting Architects were contracted to examine the scope of work, estimated to cost sh2b.
“The tiled roof is leaking, especially at the central dome, the walls have been tainted by the dripping rain water, and most of the red stone floor tiles have been eroded,†Kityo said.
The first church building was constructed in 1890. The second one was built in 1894 but it was destroyed by a storm one year later.
The third building was built in 1904, but six years later it was struck by lightning, and replaced by the current structure in 1915.
Addressing a press conference at the cathedral on Tuesday, Kityo appealed to Christians to contribute towards the cause.
“As Christians, we should not wait for a mishap to occur, but rather should refurbish the church where we always worship God,†he said.
Producing an inception report about the project, Phyllis Kwesiga, an architect with KK Consulting, said the technical inspection was complete.
She attributed the damage caused to the building to leakages and termites, which invade moist areas of the roof.
“We have studied the church and seen where the loopholes are. We shall overhaul the church without changing its original look,†she said.
The existing church seats 5,000 people and its design is expected to remain the same after the repairs, Kwesiga said.
NAMIREMBE Cathedral has hired a consultancy firm to assess the amount of renovation needed for the 95-year-old church building.
The current building, which is the 4th church and the 3rd cathedral on Namirembe hill, is dilapidated and at risk of collapsing.
The Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Wilberforce Kityo Luwulira, said KK Consulting Architects were contracted to examine the scope of work, estimated to cost sh2b.
“The tiled roof is leaking, especially at the central dome, the walls have been tainted by the dripping rain water, and most of the red stone floor tiles have been eroded,†Kityo said.
The first church building was constructed in 1890. The second one was built in 1894 but it was destroyed by a storm one year later.
The third building was built in 1904, but six years later it was struck by lightning, and replaced by the current structure in 1915.
Addressing a press conference at the cathedral on Tuesday, Kityo appealed to Christians to contribute towards the cause.
“As Christians, we should not wait for a mishap to occur, but rather should refurbish the church where we always worship God,†he said.
Producing an inception report about the project, Phyllis Kwesiga, an architect with KK Consulting, said the technical inspection was complete.
She attributed the damage caused to the building to leakages and termites, which invade moist areas of the roof.
“We have studied the church and seen where the loopholes are. We shall overhaul the church without changing its original look,†she said.
The existing church seats 5,000 people and its design is expected to remain the same after the repairs, Kwesiga said.