By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu
RUKUNGIRI
The North Kigezi diocesan nominations committee has today forwarded two names to the house of Bishops from which they will elect the Bishop. The two are Rev Asiimwe Onesmus and Rev.Kenneth Karyeija.
Rt. Rev Bishop Tusingwire Patrick Tugume who is the Bishop caretaker unveiled the provincial roadmap during an emergence meeting that was aimed at amending the constitution as recommended by the the church of Uganda provincial assembly on 22nd October 2022 to the diocesan special synod.
The new Bishop will succeed Rt. Rev. Benon Magezi, who passed on 15th June, 2021 at Mulago National referral hospital losing the battle to coronavirus. North Kigezi diocese has been under Rt. Rev. Patrick Tugume as the Bishop caretaker after being appointed by the Archbishop Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu on 18th June 2021.
According to the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Uganda, when a diocese falls vacant, the Archbishop automatically becomes the Bishop of the Diocese and takes on all ecclesiastical authority. The Archbishop may, however, appoint a retired Bishop to serve on his behalf as a Caretaker Bishop.
Bishop Tugume retired as the Bishop of North Kigezi on 8th January 2017 when he handed over to Bishop Benon Magezi as his successor.
Service history about Rev. Asiimwe Onesmus
Onesmus has a Bachelor of Education of Makerere University and a Master of Divinity from the Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology at Uganda Christian University. He is married to Florence and they have three children.
He is currently the Chaplain of St. Francis Chapel, Makerere University. Prior to serving as Chaplain of St. Francis Chapel, he served as the Provincial Youth and Students Coordinator, coordinating training and outreach for all 37 dioceses of the Church of Uganda. It was under his leadership that the Church of Uganda began the Provincial Annual Youth and Students Convention (PAYSCO), which has become a strategic tool for raising up and empowering youth and student leaders around the country.
Before taking on the leadership of youth and student ministry at the provincial level, he served for seven years as the Chaplain (Personal Assistant) to the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, a position he assumed after pioneering the Healing and Intercessory Prayer Ministry in the provincial office of the Church of Uganda.
Brief history about Rev. Kenneth Karyeija
Rev. Kenneth Karyeija served as the Vicar of St. Stephen’s Kitara Church of Uganda and Chaplain MUBS among others.
The new Bishop will be the 6th Bishop of North Kigezi diocese since 1981 when it became an autonomous diocese after it was curved out of Kigezi Diocese. Currently, the Diocese has 13 Archdeaconries, 80 parishes and 220 sub parishes.
WhatsApp or Contact us: (+256) 0706640014 | 0775 492124 for any developing story in your community, Opinion articles and Advertising Spaces.
