OPINION: WHAT NEXT FOR PROPOSED CENTRAL ANKOLE DIOCESE (SHEEMA DIOCESE)

By Mesarch Katusiimeh
www.mknewslink.com
In Sheema
1. What is CAD?
CAD is an acronym for Central Ankole Diocese. Sheema Anglican Christians applied for the diocese to be curved out of West Ankole Diocese in early 1990s but the application was not followed to its logical conclusion. Last year, follow up was made and Synod of West Ankole Diocese (WAD) and consequently the Diocesan Council accepted to consider the application by appointing a verification committee to consider it.

2. Who requested for CAD to be re-tabled?
Sometime last year a meeting composed of heads of laity and priests from all the Archdeaconaries in Sheema District met at Emmanuel Church Kabwohe with the blessing of Rt. Rev Johnson Twinomujuni and formally agreed to consider the idea for CAD to be established at Kabwohe Hill.

3. Is the Bishop of West Ankole Diocese supportive of the cause of CAD?
The installation of Rt. Rev Twinomujuni has been a blessing to WAD. God gave him different gifts and he has used them to unite WAD that had been torn apart by conflict and misunderstandings. His theme; Love that Unites has reverberated across the diocese with positive effect to the unity and development of WAD. The new Bishop of WAD has been part and parcel of the developments related to CAD. He is the chairperson – Synod and Diocesan Council, and has guided all the organs of the church to the right pathways in the request for CAD. He has also requested his Generals as he calls them the Archdeacons of the different Archdeaconries in Sheema District to guide the laity on the right steps to take in the request for the diocese. It is a result of his guidance that the Archdeacon of Kabwohe Rev. Canon Turyaguma is the Chair of preparations for CAD and has so far chaired over two meetings.

4. Wont the clamor for CAD take WAD back to the past misunderstandings of the previous leadership?
No. Sheema Christians will continue to be part of WAD and ensuring the diocesan funds collected in their respective parishes are duly processed and transferred to the diocesan accounts. In fact, some of the parishes are already done with their diocesan quota and now preparing to do other church work according to their laid down plans. The conflicts and misunderstandings at WAD will never surface again, God being our helper.

5. What are the advantages of establishing CAD?
The objective of a new diocese like elsewhere in the Province of the Church of Uganda is to bring services near the people. The number of Anglicans in Sheema alone is equivalent to the number of Anglicans by the time WAD was curved out of Ankole Diocese. With the increased number of primary schools, secondary schools and higher institutions of learning in WAD, it is not easy for the Bishop to reach all areas and serve his people adequately. The core service of the church is evangelism and spreading of the gospel. The Bishop as a Chief shepherd plays a fundamental role in reaching all areas to the satisfaction of the laity who at times demand to be with him day and night to discuss matters pertaining to their parishes.

6. What are the efforts to ensure readiness for CAD?
Sheema Church leaders in consultation with the Bishop of WAD have established a committee chaired by Ven. Rev. Canon Turyaguma deputized by Rev. Canon Katuramu and coordinated by Eng. Yorokamu Katwiremu to spearhead readiness for CAD.

7. Will preparation for CAD not distract other projects that are in advanced stages like Ankole Western University and other building projects in the diocese of WAD?
Not at all. All parishes have projects they are working on and we thank God. All projects are going on very well with their respective leaders and committees in the various parishes and archdeaconry. For example, Masheruka Archdeaconry is planning for a fundraising project for the Archdeacons House. Rwabutura Archdeaconry is already fundraising for the construction of a big church. The committee tasked with AWU fundraising has been meeting under the leadership of Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye and Dr. Nathan Karema. The 2 billion Bishops House at Bweranyangi is almost done in a record of less than 2 years. Other sister projects in the various parishes and archdeaconries related to construction of churches and priests houses are going on with Christians donating according to how the Holy Spirit leads them. For Ankole Western University, it is expected that the President of the Republic of Uganda will officiate at the fundraising ceremony in April 2019 following sustained efforts that date back to November 2017 when the letter written by the Chancellor and the then Vice Chancellor AWU invited him at AWU to support the completion of the storied science block that has stalled for some good number of years. These earlier efforts have been augmented by the present AWU leadership and governance. It is hoped that the Presidents officiating of the fundraising will help raise a substantial amount of resources to enable AWU continue on her path to be chartered.

8. Is CAD not an attempt to hijack AWU from West Ankole Diocese?
Not at all. AWU is owned by WAD legally. The present administration of WAD has been very active in support evidenced by the improved finance, and calling on all stakeholders like head teachers of primary and secondary schools to mobilize financial resources and market AWU wherever they go. It is hoped that once CAD gets into operation, WAD will invite CAD and South Ankole Diocese (SAD) as partners in the governance of AWU to spearhead a financial model for sustaining the capitalization and growth of the university into a world class Christian university. A university is a university and can never be localized. A university serves all and can have multiple owners. It is intellectual dishonesty to want to tie CAD and AWU together. CAD is a local initiative and will be financed by local resources. AWU is national and international in nature and though locals may support it, the big part of the resources to run it is expected to come from the national and international coffers.

9. What is the role of the stakeholders in the push for CAD?
Stakeholders are those with an interest in a project and we are all stakeholders in the CAD project. The concept stakeholder has been used by some people to mean the trio of Lay Canon David Kabigumira, Mr. Sam Kahindi and Lay Canon Yoasi Makaru and their colleagues. These are senior members of the Anglican and stakeholders in their own right and they have been very instrumental in the development of the church in general. CAD is a brain child of Sheema Christians and their guidance has been instrumental. It is important to mention that formally CAD has been championed by elected leaders of the parishes to the WAD Synod; Prof. Elijah Mushemeza (Synod and Diocesan Council member), Mr. Wilfred Katobe (Bishops Advisor), Dr. Mesharch Katusiimeh (Synod and Diocesan Council member). Mr. Jonas Tumwine (Synod and Diocesan Council member) and many others who sit in the Synod and Diocesan Council. These are leaders that were duly elected by their parishes to represent them, and they have been instrumental in ensuring calm and tranquility in WAD.

10. Since the clamor for CAD, is there anything to show that Sheema Christians have what it takes to modernize Kabwohe Hill to the level required of a fully-fledged diocese?
Yes. In just 2 weeks there has been unprecedented show of support in form of financial and material contributions from Sheema Christians and those who wish CAD well. So far 518 bags of cement have been pledged; 11 trips of sand; 3 trips of aggregate; 2 trips of bricks; one bull; all iron sheets for roofing; 3.8 million cash, 2 million UGX pledged; free technical supervision, architectural designs and labour up to wall plate. The ground has also been leveled for the proposed construction of the Bishops house with support from the Sheema District and Sheema Municipality political and technical leadership.

11. Are the top political leaders like Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, Elioda Tumwesigye, Jacklet Atuhaire and Naome Kibaju in support?
Hon. Jacklet Atuhaire has so far pledged to roof the whole of the proposed Bishops house of CAD. We expect those who have not yet announced their contributions to the CAD cause to do so anytime soon.

12. Has there been any form of sensitization to all Banyasheema and the rest of WAD about the CAD cause?
This write-up is one of the ways of sensitizing people. The CAD initiative has been formally tabled and considered at high levels of WAD. All Archdeacons and heads of laity in their respective parishes are expected to take the message to their people. In other words, we expect to use the church structures to consolidate the CAD move.

13. What are the future plans?
Meetings will be held in Kampala and Sheema and you will be informed including the one that will take place today 18th Feb 2019 at Kati Kati Restaurant Kampala Uganda at 5pm to be chaired by the Coordinator, Hon. Eng. Yorokamu Katwiremu. For any more questions about CAD feel free to contact Ven. Rev. Canon Turyaguma, Rev. Canon Katuramu and Eng. Yorokamu Katwiremu. You will be availed information in relation to where you will channel your contributions very soon.

Thank you very much.

Written by Dr. Mesharch W. Katusiimeh Rwebiita with input from Prof. Elijah Mushemeza, Wilfreds Katobe, Nicholas Mwebaze, Atwijuka Bernard Makaru, Richard Muhangi and Dr. Daniel Komakech.

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