From teacher to Bishop: Rev Sheldon Mwesigwa’s journey

Apr 06, 2010

CLAD in a grey suit and a matching pair of black shoes, he cuts a reserved posture. A gold-coated watch accentuates his smart out-look. He speaks in a composed tone as he grips a simple Nokia phone. His face is alight with radiance.His short, black hair and long baby face makes him look much younger

By Arthur Baguma

CLAD in a grey suit and a matching pair of black shoes, he cuts a reserved posture. A gold-coated watch accentuates his smart out-look. He speaks in a composed tone as he grips a simple Nokia phone. His face is alight with radiance.His short, black hair and long baby face makes him look much younger than his 48 years.

Rev. Dr Sheldon Mwesigwa was elected as the new bishop of Ankole diocese by the house of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, in Gulu in December last year. He will be consecrated on July 18. He replaces George Tibesigwa who has served for three years.

The journey to this coveted position started when the young Mwesigwa turned his life to Christ on his first posting after graduating from a teacher training college. At the age of 23, he was posted to Kibubura Girls School in Ibanda.

“I was not yet a good Christian and still young. So I faced the challenges that any male youth would have to grapple with as a teacher in a single girl’s secondary school,” Mwesigwa confesses.

However, three years later, in on June 6, 1986, he turned his life to Christ while at Kibubura. Since that time, he has risen through the Christian ranks as a devout preacher, believer, chaplain, reverend and now bishop.

Mwesigwa was faced with challenges early in life. He had to struggle with coming to terms with an accident which left his father permanently incapacitated. Mweisgwa was in P.6. This ugly incident permeated the atmosphere in Mwesigwa’s childhood. Silent clouds of uncertainty hang in the air, but Mwesigwa’s mother sacrificed everything to educate him. And 48 years down the road, Mwesigwa is not only a renowned scholar and teacher, but a role model. Currently, Mwesigwa is a senior lecturer and dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts at Uganda Christian University, Mukono (UCU).

The new Bishop-elect was not born great, but he has worked hard to achieve greatness. Church elders note that as Mwesigwa assumes this mantle, he finds a church which needs a person to unite and bond the Christians.

“Modern living has come with challenges that have threatened the very foundation of churches. We need someone who will unify the church and strengthen the faith of the Christians. Dr Mwesigwa is a person with a magnetic personality and a man of high regard. He has the capacity to unite Christians,” Mzee Ephraim Kamuhanda, an elder at the church, observes.

Mwesigwa says his first priority is to implement the church strategic plan which his predecessor has been trying to.

“I have been consulting key Christians and young people on their views before I write my full plans. My personal motto will be knowing God more and making him known by the Christians, especially the youth,” says Mwesigwa.

Mwesigwa observes that giving the youth guiding principles in life should be the priority of church leaders. He notes that the virtue of patience, hard work and not rushing to do things are key qualities for the youth to become responsible citizens.

“The greatest disease of ‘I have to get it here and now’ is the problem. That is what is killing young people. They are taken up by what they see and don’t focus on the unseen. Fix your eyes on the unseen and strive to achieve it,” Mwesigwa advises.

Dr. Rev. Uzziah Maate has known Mwesigwa for over 23 years. He describes him as simple and flexible. He makes and stands by his decisions.

“He is considerate, friendly and a committed family man,” Dr. Maate says.

Mwesigwa was born in Ruhoko village, Ibanda district to the late Steven Rushota and Julia Kageye. He is the last-born in a family of four. His mother was a nurse at Masaka Technical Institute.

Although Mwesigwa was a leader all his school life, physical appearance and age worked against him during his school life. For instance, when he tried to stand for guild president at Kakooba Teacher Training College, he did not make it because he was perceived by voters as a young boy. The person he contested against was 11 years older than him. After two years at Kakooba, Mwesigwa qualified as a teacher in 1985.

He started his early education at Kijjabwemi Church of Uganda Primary School in Masaka district, completing his PLE in 1976.

A year later, he joined Kako SSS in Masaka where he completed his O’levels in 1980. He moved to Old Kampala SSS for A’level, completing in 1983.

After his A’levels, his dream of joining university was shattered. At the time, the only university was Makerere, but he missed joining the prestigious university by one point. He ended up joining National Teachers College Kakooba in Mbarara district. In Kakooba, he realised most of his colleagues had performed so poorly at A’level compared to him.

He started a newspaper called Siberian Observer. He was staying in a dormitory which was on the far end of the school, hence the nickname Siberia. At Kakooba, he was a good footballer and was captain of the colfootball team.

In 1987, he enrolled at Bishop Tucker Theological College, now Uganda Christian University Mukono to train as a priest. He later qualified with a bachelors degree in divinity in 1990 — the same year he was ordained as a priest at the tender age of 25.

“I had a call to minister and this achievement was that ticket for me to fulfill this mission,” Mwesigwa says.

At the university, he was the minister of information and editor of a magazine, The Bishop Tucker Theological College Weekly Review. He also served as secretary for the theological students’ fellowship for three years.

Shortly after being ordained, he was sent to Kibubura girls’ school as a deputy headmaster and school chaplain. It was a third world school, but he managed to turn it round. He attributes the turn-around to discipline and hard work. Mwesigwa served at Kibubura between 1990 and 1994.

After 1994, he was transferred to Ntare School as deputy headmaster and chaplain.

However, his transfer met some resistance. There was talk that it was not proper to bring someone from a ‘third world’ school to a school like Ntare. But this did not distract Mwesigwa from accomplishing his mission. The then headmaster, Kamuhanda teamed up with Mwesigwa and they turned around Ntare into what it has remained up to date.

Shortly after he had joined, in 1994, Ntare School performed poorly and there was a debate between students and teachers on how to find a solution. From that debate, the students started what they called ‘operation UNEB’ campaign, and since then the school has never looked back.

During his stint as a teacher, he took on study leaves to pursue further education. He travelled to Leeds University, UK for a masters. Between 2000 and 2003 he attained a PhD at the same university.

Out of his experience in Leeds where he did part-time teaching, he wrote a book Contrasting Ironies About Teaching. The book will soon be published by Fountain publishers.

In 2005, he left Ntare School and headed to UCU as a lecturer where he is currently a senior lecturer and the dean of Faculty of Education. He has written several scholarly articles mainly for advocacy on religious and values issues.

He is married to Alice Mwesigwa and the couple has four children. Alice is a teacher by profession and a secretary. During his free time, Mwesigwa loves writing and watching football.

Fact file
2000-2003: Doctor of philosophy, University of Leeds, UK
1997-1998: Masters of Education, University of Leeds, UK
1988-1990: Bachelor of Divinity, UCU
1983-1985: Diploma in Education, Makerere University
1981-1983: UACE, Old Kampala SSS
1977-1980: UCE, Old Kampala SSS
1969-1976: PLE

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