The Church of Uganda’s House of Bishops convened at Namirembe has hit a roadblock in its quest to elect the next Bishop of Namirembe Diocese.
Reports surfaced suggesting irregularities in the nomination process, prompting an investigation and a subsequent postponement of the election.
The controversy began when allegations arose that some bishops were illicitly nominated. Complaints centered on concerns related to the transparency and fairness of the nomination process, citing allegations of corruption, conflicts of interest, and a lack of due diligence in vetting candidates.
Church elders escalated their grievances to Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, and the House of Bishops took action by deferring the election of the next Bishop of Namirembe Diocese. The church has not yet reached a final decision as the nomination process is still underway.
Adams Sadik, the Church of Uganda provincial spokesperson, indicated that specific reasons for the postponement would be communicated to the nominating committee at a later time. This decision has created uncertainty in the already tumultuous process of selecting a new bishop.
The election of the new bishop is critical as the current Bishop, Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, is nearing his canonical retirement age of 65 after serving Namirembe Diocese for 13 years.
The selection process began in May, with the Namirembe Diocesan Synod electing a nomination team tasked with nominating two eligible priests for the position. This committee, chaired by Fred Mpanga, identified 13 candidates for consideration.
However, tensions arose during the Synod’s decision-making process, with disagreements over the candidates’ vetting and election procedures. Despite the disagreements, two names were eventually forwarded to the House of Bishops.
The controversy surrounding bishop elections is not unique, as similar disputes have arisen in various dioceses within the Church of Uganda.