Kitgum Bishop petitions court over retirement

Dec 16, 2014

TENSION is brewing in the Anglican diocese of Kitgum after its Bishop; Benjamin Ojwang warned the Province of the Church of Uganda that his retirement would contravene canon & labour laws

By David Labeja

 

TENSION is brewing in the Anglican diocese of Kitgum after its Bishop; Benjamin Ojwang warned the Province of the Church of Uganda that his retirement would contravene both canon laws and labour laws.

 

Ojwang, through his lawyer Charles Dalton Opwonya of Opwonya and Company advocates, wrote a 'strong warning' to the Archbishop of Uganda Stanley Ntagali to desist from forceful removal of Benjamin Ojwang from office before his time expires.

 

"The registrar of the Industrial Court has already signed the court summon which gives the Church of Uganda 14 days to answer to claims that the Bishop of Kitgum is being pushed out illegally before his time. He retires in December 2017, but there are negative forces in the diocese that pushed for his retirement to be effected this month," Opwonya told New Vision on phone.

 

Ojwang ascended the throne as the second Bishop of Kitgum after the peace award winner retired Bishop McLeod Baker Ochola in 2002. Since the beginning of his tenure, Ojwang has stirred controversies, suing clergy and dismissing others.

 

In 2007, Ojwang was locked in the vestry of the town parish church in Kitgum by a section of Christians who said they did not want him to lead mass. In 2009, an uprising against his administration led to the formation of Concerned Christians Association in the diocese.

 

"It is this group, led by some reverends that are pushing for the illegal removal of the bishop from office," Opwonya said.

 

Speaking to New Vision via phone, the archbishop of the Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali confirmed that Ojwang through his lawyers had written to him challenging his removal from office.

 

"The synod resolved that Ojwang abdicates his role as Bishop on December 14, 2014, to pave way for developments that lead to the election of a new Bishop. The Archbishop will care take the diocese until the new bishop is elected. But I was surprised to see the letter," Archbishop Ntagali said.

 

He added that for now they have halted the process of retiring Ojwang until the House of Bishops meets on January 15, 2015.

 

"He has disregarded the voice of the people, he has disregarded the voice of the house of bishops and he has disregarded the voice of God," the archbishop said.

 

Ojwang's predecessor McLeod Baker Ochola said it was the first time a bishop was refusing to retire in the history of the church of Uganda.

 

"I urge my colleague Ojwang to listen to the voice of God spoken to him through the synod and the House of Bishops," Ochola said.

 

In a letter Bishop Ojwang wrote to the Archbishop of Uganda on December 5, 2014, a copy of which New Vision has seen, Ojwang is seeking a fully paid sabbatical before he can return and hand over. 

 

He says he worked tirelessly as bishop without taking leave and feels it should be granted to him.

 

Until the top leadership of the church sorts out the leadership wrangle in the diocese, many Christians in the diocese said they will remain home and pray to God from the comfort of their houses.

 

Frances Laker, a resident of Lulojo in Kitgum town said the actions of the bishop were hurting the reputation of the Anglican Church.

 

"I see no reason why I should go to church, let them sort their differences first," Laker said.

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