Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Controversy surrounds the search for the next bishop of West Buganda Diocese within the Church of Uganda.

In July, the Diocesan Synod, which is the highest body of the diocese, began the process of searching for the seventh bishop to replace Henry Katumba Tamale, who is expected to retire in March next year, having reached the age mandatory retirement age of 65. years.

The synod therefore established a nominating committee to receive proposals from likely candidates, from which it selects the names of the three most qualified persons which are also submitted to the House of Bishops, which finally takes a vote to choose a bishop .

However, the process is overshadowed by the feelings and selfish interests of Christian sections in the region who want it to move in favor of an indigenous candidate to become their bishop.

Patrick Ssemakula, Christian of the archdeacon of Kalungu, affirms that after 60 years of existence, it is high time that the diocese has a bishop chosen from among the priests born in the region.

He alleges they obtained reports of plans within the diocesan synod to sideline local candidates in favor of a non-native bishop.

Ssemakula says the previous six, including the outgoing bishop, were chosen from outside the West Buganda diocese and did not have real knowledge of the region, thus failing to adequately respond to local challenges .

“This time we want the selection committee to be intentional and choose from priests in this region. Our diocese also has potential candidates who can become bishop. he said.

Another source, who prefers to remain anonymous, claims that the process of choosing previous bishops has always been biased in the interest of the predecessors, who in fact continue to influence the decisions and affairs of the diocese.

The source reveals that they have informed higher authorities at the Church of Uganda provincial headquarters in Namirembe about the local preference, so that the local preference is taken into account during the election.

But Bishop Henry Katumba Tamale has expressed disappointment at what he describes as disruptive behavior by some Christians, saying such biased sentiments threaten the sanctity of the faith.

He reveals that apart from blackmailing some of the likely candidates, some sections of Christians are already threatening to reject the decision of the nomination committee if it chooses a candidate outside West Buganda Diocese.

According to him, the Canon Church of Uganda allows any priest to serve the faith in different parts of the province provided he meets the required conditions.

The growing contradictions in West Buganda come at a time when their counterparts in Luwero Diocese are still struggling to recover from the bitter fallout of the bishop’s election.

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