CONTROVERSIAL BISHOP KATONENE FINALLY RETIRES SUNDAY

BY WILBER MUHWEZI

IN BUSHENYI

Controversial west Ankole diocesan Bishop, Yona Mwesigwa Katonene will finally retire on Sunday 02 Oct. 2016. This according to information from the diocesan secretary Rev. Can Aurthur Atwiine.

According to west ankole diocesan constitution as well as that of province of the church of Uganda, A bishop retires at 65 years and Katonene will clock 65 years of age on Sunday.

According to sources the retiring bishop will handle over pastoral stick to the archbishop of the church of Uganda his grace Stanly Ntagali. He will thereafter select a caretaker who will preside over the diocese for about one year and half until a new bishop is consecrated.

West Ankole diocese has for the last four years been entangled with sharp divisions amongst Christians especially Sheema Christians openly opposed to the retiring Bishop Katoneene.

Sheema Christians reached an extent of locking Katoneene out of Ngoma church of Uganda in sheema in 2013  because of the above conflicts that emanated from creating a branch of Ankole western university at Katungu in Bushenyi town.

Due to the conflicts in the diocese, the election of the new Bishop for west Ankole diocese hit a snag because the sheema Christians petitioned the house bishops which was supposed to elect a bishop in june 2016 accusing the establishment at Bweranyangi of using an illegal synod to elect electoral college that forwarded the names of Rev. Can William Twinamasiko and Rev. Can Amos Turyahabwe.

The synod was dissolved as a result and a new election committee was put in place at end of August 2016 but needed six months to forward two names of whom one would become the 4^th bishop of west Ankole diocese.

On the other hand Rev. Can. Authur Atwiine, the synod’s decision not to accept a Bishop caretaker still stands therefore let us wait on Sunday to see how drama will unfold.

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