Church speaks out on Kabaka's son

By Norman Katende

The Church of Uganda is non-committal on whether the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, is still free to receive Holy Communion after siring a child out of wedlock. Senior Church of Uganda clerics at the Provincial Office, Namirembe Diocese as well as Namirembe Cathedral, who were interviewed yesterday, said it was not within their mandate to say whether the Kabaka can still receive the Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist.

Under the Anglican faith, the Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continued remembrance of his life, death and resurrection, until his coming again. Only those who have repented their sins are
eligible to partake of the Holy Communion. Both Catholic and Anglican churches bar openly polygamous men from receiving Holy Communion.

The Kabaka wedded Sylvia Nagginda Luswata at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe in 1999. However, the Katikkiro of Buganda Eng. J.B. Walusimbi last week announced that the Kabaka had been blessed with a baby boy, Prince Richard Ssemakookiro. Revealing that the baby was born in July last year, the Katikkiro, however, didn’t identity the baby’s mother. He only indicated she belonged to the Nsenene (grasshopper) clan.

However, investigations by New Vision have since revealed that the baby’s mother is called Rose Nansikombi, a daughter of Ssalongo George Edward Sserebe and Nnalongo Christine Nalubanjwa of Bamunanika, Luwero. Rev. Can. Dr. Alison Barfoot, the director of Communications in the Provincial Church of Uganda, said matters relating to the Kabaka were not for the Archbishop or the Provincial office, but for Namirembe Diocese.

“That (matter) is not under the jurisdiction of the province. You have to contact the diocesan secretary,” said Allison.
On his part, the Diocesan secretary Rev. Can. Nelson Kawesa, said it was not within his mandate to comment on the Kabaka. Instead he referred New Vision to Namirembe Cathedral where Kabaka’s wedding was held.

“That is a liturgical matter which is not under my mandate. I only deal with the administrative issues in the diocese. You should refer that to the cathedral where he was wed,” said Kaweesa. But the assistant Vicar of Namirembe cathedral, Rev. David Sekiziyivu equally distanced himself from the issue, saying the person to talk about it is the retired Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo.

“That is a tricky issue which I cannot comment about. The best person to comment about it is the retired Archbishop (Nkoyoyo) who presided over their wedding,” Sekiziyivu said. Nkoyoyo earlier was quoted saying he wouldn’t comment about the matter.

“I am the one who wed them and I cannot comment about it,” said Nkoyoyo when the news broke out that the Kabaka had been blessed with a baby boy.

New Vision’s sister paper, Bukedde quoted retired Bishop of Mukono Diocese Rt. Rev. Paul Luzinda saying that the Kabaka had committed a sin and should repent for what he had done.