Aspiring bishops ordered to go for HIV testing

There is a war in the house of the Lord. Tempers are flaring in Luwero over what Christians call irregularities in the nomination process for the diocese’s next bishop. A section of Christians have petitioned Archbishop Stanley Ntagali. Carol Natukunda followed the events


Sunday Vision has learnt that among other things, the selection committee for the nomination of the bishop of Luwero Diocese has been subjecting candidates to a medical examination.

Some of the tests include HIV, Hepatitis B, blood pressure, respiratory, diabetes and kidney tests.

The examination can only be done at Kiwoko Hospital.

A section of Christians have petitioned the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali, over the matter.

The petition dated, November 24, accuses Bishop Evans Kisekka and the diocese chancellor, Dr. Khiddu Makubuya, of conniving to frustrate the nominees. Kisekka will retire next year.

“Even with the insistence by some candidates to do the medical examination from their doctors, the chancellor stuck to his guns that they should go to Kiwoko Hospital...This infringes on the rights of people,” reads the petition.
 

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Dr. Khiddu Makubuya

Nominees to take tests

Some of the copies of the letters written to the candidates, which have been obtained by Sunday Vision read: “The Holy Spirit has guided the electoral college to require that the medical superintendent of Kiwoko Hospital arranges for your medical examination and that a report be submitted with a copy to your good self.” 

“My task now is to request you to present yourself to the medical superintendent for this purpose. You will personally meet the cost of this exercise. The electoral college will be grateful, if this medical phase could be completed before November 17.”

The letter was signed by Makubuya.

In a related letter, Makubuya asked candidates to avail their spouses for “interaction” with the committee.

“The Grace of God, which is greater than I can understand, directs me to address you again...The process of identifying the next Bishop is in semi-final stage. The Holy Spirit has guided the electoral college that it holds an interaction with your dear wife...You are, therefore, requested to inform her that the electoral college will be grateful, if she kindly meets them at Luwero Diocese Guest House on...,” reads Makubuya’s letter.

In the petition to the Archbishop, Christians also allege that Bishop Kisekka replaced members of the nomination committee without the synod’s approval.

They claim he made the changes to suit his interests.

Kisekka accused

“Rev. Canon Eridad Nsubuga on becoming a candidate was replaced by Rev. Patrick Kato from Katikamu. He also replaced Rev. Canon Edward Mutooka with Rev. Godfrey Kasana. This, he did, by making Rev. Mutooka a canon and ordered him to quit the nomination committee.

“All this was done by Bishop Kisekka outside the Constitution, which mandates the synod to handle the replacement of members of the nomination committee. There are no minutes and notice calling the synod to handle replacements of members on the nomination committee,” the petition reads.

Christians also claim that on “the wrong advice of Bishop Kisekka”, the committee dropped names of all candidates, who are not serving in Luwero Diocese, irrespective of them meeting the minimum requirements as provided in the Provincial Constitution.

“All the candidates, who submitted documents, come from the central region or Buganda and precedent has always been there; where by bishops in dioceses in Buganda can come from any part of the region.”

Even Bishop Kisekka came from Mityana Diocese and served in Namirembe Diocese before coming to Luwero.

Does he want Christians in Luwero to believe he was not fit to serve them?”

Other irregularities

Bishop Kisekka has reportedly intimidated members of the nomination committee not to talk to the public, lest he blackmails them.

“The Bishop told them to ensure that Rev. Canon Nsubuga is among the final two candidates and that he should be taken with a candidate, who shall not give him hard time before the House of Bishops,” says the petition.
 

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Archbishop Stanley Ntagali

However, by wishing Nsubuga to succeed him, Kisekka would be contradicting himself, because he hails from Mityana and not Luwero.

The Christians also accuse the Bishop and Makubuya of refusing to present the results of the nominations before the House of Bishops that sat in Mbale on November 15.

Bishop Kisekka says...

When contacted by Sunday Vision, Kisekka sounded irritated.

“How does someone complain when no one has presented the names? I am not the one who does the election!”

Efforts to put to him the issues raised by the petitioners were futile.

“The committee members have broken secrecy. I do not see why you are interested in this issue!” he retorted and hang up.

Efforts to speak to Makubuya were futile. Ntagali said he was in Nairobi and was not able to comment.

Previous conflicts between seating bishops and Christians

Muhabura Diocese

In 2001, Christians in Muhabura Diocese ganged up against Rev. Canon David Sebuhinja, who had been chosen by the then outgoing Bishop, Ernest Shalita (RIP).

The believers preferred Rev Wilson Baganizi. It was so bad that once the believers threw stones at Sebuhinja’s car.

On another occasion, they put needles in Shalita’s chair before a service. Sebuhinja’s consecration was halted until 2007, when the House of Bishops elected Rev. Cranimer Mugisha as the Bishop for Muhabura.

Sebuhinja was later consecrated in Mbale.

Kabale Diocese

Bishop Barnabas Halem’imana of Kabale Diocese was accused of favouring the Baryawanda, and the Bakiga Catholics protested this.

It is alleged there were times he would lead mass at Rushoroza Cathedral and there would be only a handful of believers. He is also credited for having acquired a lot of land for the diocese’s projects. However, that did not stop the disgruntled Bakiga. Halem’imana quit.

In 1996, the Vatican sent a Canadian bishop, Rev Robert Marie Gay, to Kabale. Gay retired in 2003 and was replaced by Bishop Callistus Rubaramira, a Mukiga.

Busoga Diocese

 In the 1990s, Bishop Cyprian Bamwoze faced resistance from some Christians in Busoga Diocese. They forced him to leave his seat at Christ’s Cathedral in Bugembe.

Rumour then had it that Bamwoze had been tipped to become the next Archbishop of the Church of Uganda after the retirement of the then Archbishop, Yona Okoth.

In an interview with Sunday Vision last year, Bamwoze, now retired said: “Although I was perhaps one of the most senior bishops at the time, the idea of becoming the next Archbishop never crossed my mind.”

“Many of those who were against my leadership have passed on. But, what is important is that they owed me nothing and I owed them nothing. That is why I presided over some of their funerals.”

As church leaders, we are supposed to be ministers of reconciliation and it is incumbent upon us to live a life of reconciliation,” says Bamwoze.

Masindi Diocese

In 2004, a section of the laity denounced Ntagali, the then Bishop-elect for the newlycreated Masindi-Kitara Diocese.

According to sources, it was because Ntagali is a Mukiga from Kabale, who migrated to Bunyoro as an evangelist.

He is said to have been the favoured candidate for the Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese. However, to address tribal sentiments, Rev. Nathan Kyamanywa was elected Bishop.