The House of Bishops sitting at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe has elected Bishop Samuel Kazimba of Mityana Diocese as the new Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.
The announcement that the cleric who was at the helm of Mityana Diocese for the last 15 years will become the church’s ninth Archbishop, comes exactly two weeks after he celebrated his 57th birthday on August 15.
He was the fourth Bishop of Mityana Diocese, replacing Bishop Dr. Dunstan Kopriano Bukenya.
Dr Kazimba, who now automatically becomes the Bishop of Kampala Diocese, replaces Archbishop Stanley Ntagali who clocks the mandatory retirement age of 65 in March 2020.
Upon his announcement early Wednesday morning, Kazimba, who was named after his grandfather, asked bishops to stand with him as he starts his work.
“This is a new calling, a new challenge and a new opportunity for the gospel. Pray for us that God’s name will be exalted,” he said.
Once the dean of St Philip and Andrews Cathedral, Mukono before being voted the Mityana Archdiocese bishop, the Archbishop-elect is now expected to say farewell to his current diocese.
Born 57-years ago at Gulama-Najja Kyaggwe, Kazimba was raised by Jessica Nanyonjo, a single poor mother in slums of Katwe. His father was polygamous man who left his mother while he was still a child.
He went to Gakuwebwa Munno Nursery and Lusaka Primary School, courtesy of his uncle.
Canon Y. Baddokwaya baptized Kazimba on April 22, 1973 at St. Luke Kibuye and was confirmed by Bishop Misaeri Kawuma on September 22, 1979, at Namataba Kyaggwe.
He joined Madudu church choir in 1980 and later on served in this church as a catechist from 1981 to 1983, according to scanty available information.
He was trained as a Lay-Leader at Baskerville Theological College Ngogwe in 1985 and was posted to Lugazi St. Peter’s Church.
Between 1988 and 1990, Kazimba trained at Uganda Martyrs’ Seminary, and was ordained in December 1990 by Bishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo. He served as Assistant Vicar at Nakibizzi Parish from 1990 to 1994.
In 1996, he completed his Diploma in Theology at Bishop Tucker College, and was posted to Katente Parish as Parish priest from 1997 to 2000.
He was then transferred to Mukono Cathedral as Vicar in 2000 and while there was made the Acting Provost of Mukono Cathedral by Bishop Michael Ssenyimba.
He is married to Evelyn Naggayi Bulya and they are blessed with four sons – Kisakye Moses Mugalu, Muwanguzi Peter Kyeswa, Musasizi Enoch Kazimba, and Kwagala Joseph Kazimba – and two grandchildren.
Previous Archbishops include Leslie Brown, a British missionary and was the first Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire (1961-1966). Brown was replaced by Erica Sabiti (1966 – 1974) before Janani Luwum took over between 1974 and 1977. He was murdered in 1977 by the then regime of Idi Amin Dada.
The fourth Archbishop was Silvanus Wani who was at the helm of the church between 1977 and 1983).
In 1980, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire became a separate Francophone Province while Uganda became its own Province.
Yona Okoth replaced Wani in 1983 up til 1995 before Mukono Diocese’s Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo took over until 2004. Henry Luke Orombi was next in line from 2004 to 2012. He was succeeded by Stanley Ntagali who retires in 2020.
He will be enthroned on March 1, 2020 at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe.
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