North Ankole gets new Bishop

By Abdulkarim Ssengendo

Canon Stephen Namanya was on Sunday consecrated as the second Bishop of North Ankole, replacing Bishop Nathan Muhanguzi.

The consecration and enthronement ceremony was graced by President Museveni and the First Lady Janet Museveni.

Hundreds of Christians from different parts of the country and abroad attended the function that was held at Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere in Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District.

In his remarks, President Museveni said he was impressed by the transformation in the district, but warned residents that there are still old habits which they should get rid of.

Bishops pray for the  newly consecration of  Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Stephen Namanya.

The President informed Christians who attended the function that Monday, August 3 will be his 68th anniversary of baptism.

“I am very happy to be here and praise the Lord; this is because God has done a lot of wonders in this part of Uganda which was much undeveloped.

When we came to launch our student action program in 1966 there were only three shops in the area, the people were nomadic. When I come here today and see the transformation, I get impressed."
 

CoU Archbishop Stanley Ntagali  handing over a bible to  Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Stephen Namanya  during the concecration ceremony. PHOTO/PPU

He noted that years back they fought to stop nomadisim and move people from subsistence to commercial farming, and educate children.

He observed that although people of Kiruhura have transformed they are still grappling with a high HIV prevalence rate of 7% as compared to the national prevalence which is at 6%.
 

 The newly consecrated Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Stephen Namanya ushered onto his seat

First Lady Janet Museveni congratulates Bishop  Stephen Namanya  after the concecration ceremony. PHOTO/PPU

President Yoweri Museveni hand keyS to a brand new Mitsubishi Pajero he gave to newly concecrated Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Stephen Namanya during the ceremony at St. Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere. August 2, 2015.

The President also urged them to always go for Hepatitis B testing.

Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali, who led the consecration ceremony, thanked the outgoing Bishop Nathan Muhanguzi for transforming the diocese during his 12-year tenure.

The Archbishop also commended the Christians of North Ankole for supporting Bishop Muhanguzi and urged them to display the same support to the new Bishop.
 

President Yoweri Museveni and his wife Janet posing with the new Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Stephen Namanya  and wife Lydia and the children, during the concecration  ceremony at St. Emmanuel Cathedral Rushere on August 1, 2015. PHOTO/PPU

President Yoweri Museveni leans in to listen to Bishop Namanya after his consecration on Sunday. PHOTO/Abdukarim Ssengendo

He thanked the President for supporting church projects and other religions in the country, and for his sh400m contribution during a fundraising held at State House which fetched over sh700m.

At the same function, Bonny Katatumba pledged sh3.7b to the Church of Uganda projects.

In his speech, Namanya said during his tenure, he will give priority but not limited to mission and evangelism, infrastructure and economic development, family as a traditional unit of the church, Christian education, formal education, health services, discipleship, land resource management and utilization.
 

He will emphasize outreach to schools, discipleship of individual Christians and Christian groups, pastoral care to the communities at risk-the unreached population, and families.

He pledged to strengthen the children’s church, youth fellowships, Christian women fellowships, cell groups pre-marital and post marital counseling and ministerial information.

Namanya was born on Tuesday, June 2, 1959, to the late Eldard Baguma and Maama Aidah Baguma, at Kabuyanda, Kanoni Sub County, in Nyabushozi County.

His father passed on three months before he was born.  He was baptized in 1961 and later got confirmed in 1977. He wedded his wife Lydia Twikirize Namanya in 1988.

They are blessed with seven children Kyobutungi Barbra, Nduhukire Shella, Kabibi Jean, Namanya Daphine, Amanya Benjamin, Natushemeza Aidah, and Kwezi Vanessa.

He received Jesus as his personal savior in 1980 while he was serving the army under FRONASA, a force that liberated the country in 1979.

In 1980, he joined the church ministry and served as a Catechist.